The Fangirls, The Sack and The Mosenator
by X X Ringo X X
Summary: One ordinary pancake day, Kes and Amy stumble across a book which will change their lives forever. Thrown into Narnia at the beginning of Prince Caspian, how will they cope with battles, secrets and first love? PeterOC EdmundOC Now complete!
1. A picture speaks a thousand words

_**Hey! I'm back. Okay, this is gonna be a slowly uploaded story - i.e. three chapters all at once, then none for like a month. But anyway, it's about what would hapen if my cousin and I ended up in Narnia. **_

**_Disclaimer: Let's think about this, shall we... if I owned Skandar Keynes, would I really be sat here doing _this_?_**

_**Prologue:**_** A Picture Speaks A Thousand Words**

I remember, in particular, the sky that day. It was an unusually beautiful cerulean, soft and caressing as feathers, and I felt indescribably lucky to be alive. It was February, that much I'm certain of, a cold February, and what's more, it was Pancake Day. An unusual fact to remember, certainly, but there you have it. It was, in fact, the cause of all this. Had it not been Pancake Day, I might not be writing this now – there would be nothing to write.

Perhaps I ought to take a step back for a moment and explain. My name is Kes Tamblyn, and on that Pancake Day I was 15 years old. I was with my cousin, Amy, also 15, in the house owned by her parents. We were alone – all the adults were at work, and we had decided, in honour of the date, to make pancakes. This is, however, easier said than done. Scatty as I am, I had forgotten how to make them, and truly blonde Amy was no help. I dragged her, protesting all the way, to her father's library to search for a pancake making book.

"A pancake making book?! Why would we have a pancake making book? Most people know how to make pancakes, y'know."

I stuck my tongue out at her and began my search, and despite her ridiculing Amy joined me. A few minutes passed in silent searching until my attention was caught by a huge, very old looking book, which I pulled out with difficulty and dumped on the table in the middle of the room. Amy came over and looked with amusement at the medieval tomb.

"'Cos that's _so_ a pancake making book."

I shrugged and opened the monster of a book with a wide grin. On the first page was a gorgeous picture of a rainforest. Amy and I looked at each other.

"So… not a cook book then…" I guessed.

Amy laughed and began flipping through it: desert, tundra, countryside, mountains, forest, beach-

"Wait!" I stopped her from turning the page and stared in amazement at the beach picture.

"What..?"

I cut her off "Look! There! The water's… moving." Sure enough, it was.

As we leant forward, the waves moved infinitesimally back and forth. I spotted four figures on the beach: two in the foreground and two further back.

"Look Amy," I reached out to touch the dark outlines and as my finger brushed the picture it swelled and rippled like water in a bubble. I never will be sure what happened next. One minute we were standing on a library in England, looking at a picture in a book, and the next it had risen out of the pages, expanded and consumed us. All of a sudden I was lay on something gritty, the sun was shining on my back, waves were lapping somewhere to my right and there was sand in my mouth.

In equal measure shocked and unimpressed, I got to my feet and spat out the sand, then I looked around. Next to me was Amy, who had, by some unfair twist, managed to avoid getting sand in her mouth, and was even now in the process of standing up. In front of me the two figures I had seen in the foreground were running towards us, but with the sun behind them they were still too far away to make out. I turned my attention instead to the surroundings.

We were on the very same beach from the picture, but that much I had already suspected. To my right was the sea, lapping gently against the surf, and to my left a cliff rose up, decked splendidly in crumbling stone that could only be described as ruins. I turned full circle and noted on my way the dark cave a few feet behind me. For some reason, this beach was achingly familiar, although I knew I'd never been here before; I just couldn't place it. By now, Amy was at my side and urgently whispering something to me.

"Kerry" Kerry, look!"

"What?" I turned to her, dragged out of my reverie, and was suddenly overwhelmingly grateful for her presence there: I couldn't imagine my panic had I been on my own. I realized, had I been given a choice in companion, I wouldn't have changed her for anyone. (Not even Bear Grylls, who, given the fact we were in the middle of some unknown wilderness, would probably have come in pretty handy.)

"Look!" She was pointing, and as I turned to follow her gaze I saw that the two figures were now distinguishable. I looked absently at them for a second, and then I looked again.

**_Oooh, the suspense. :) _**

**_R&R?_**

**_- Kes_**


	2. The apple never falls far from the tree

_**So, is it who we think it is? Of course it is. **_

**_Disclaimer: Oh, c'mon. Who would believe me if I said I owned Narnia, really?_**

_**Chapter 1:**_** The Apple Never Falls Far From The Tree**

I was frozen to the sand beneath my converses. Beside me, Amy stood with her mouth open, on the verge of speaking but not quite able to, and before us arrived two boys we had immediately recognized as Edmund and Peter Pevensie: Kings, fitties, and fictional characters. Right… Now they slowed to a stop, and Peter said regally

"I'm Peter Pevensie, and this is my brother Edmund, who are you?"

I looked at Amy, who was staring at Peter with love struck eyes, and forced myself to speak. "I'm Kes, and this is Amy."

Peter, who had clearly about to make some pompous welcome, glanced at my cousin and fell silent. Edmund, who was stood diagonally across from me, looked between the two of them and rolled his eyes.

"So… I supposed this is Narnia then." I'm not so good and polite conversation.

Edmund gave me a funny look and a nod, and then, to my great surprise, looked me up and down.

"What are you wearing?"

Insulted, and shocked by his rudeness, I glanced down at my Beatles T-Shirt, seventies flares and loose hanging braces, and returned the insult.

"What are _you _wearing?"

To my amusement, he blushed "This is my school uniform."

I smirked "Sure."

It looked as though he would argue, but at that moment the two figures I'd seen in the background, now revealed to be his sisters, arrived. Introductions were made, but I couldn't tell you what was said to save my life. Having earlier been forced to act instantaneously, and therefore having had no time to think, I had reacted very quickly to Edmund, and even insulted him, but now I began to realise the depth of the situation. We were in Narnia. _Narnia_. My casually tossed question wasn't nearly enough to confirm that fact: Narnia was a fictional place, Edmund was a fictional character, and here he was stood right in front of me. I couldn't get over his realness. Hadn't I spent hours at the computer, giggling over random trivia, watching endless interviews? And here he was. In person. What the hell? I looked around me again: NARNIA!

Just as I was beginning to absorb this fact, and even accept it, Edmund, with impeccable timing, interrupted my pondering.

"Where do you suppose we are?"

Everyone, including me, looked at him incredulously. I seem to remember, in the popular film version, Peter answering, but he was already strolling off with Amy. I caught the last snatches of their conversation.

"So, where are you from Amy?"

"Oldham."  
"Is everyone in Oldham this beautiful?"

Nauseated, I turned away from them and decided to answer Edmund.

"You told me we were in Narnia."

He looked at me and nodded "Yes, it's just, I don't remember any ruins in Narnia."

Together we turned to look at the magnificent structures on top of the cliff that I had earlier identified as ruins. Edmund glanced at me with a raised eyebrow, as though waiting for an answer and, pathetically, I found myself distracted by his shockingly beautiful eyes.

"Um…" I struggled for a response "Maybe we should go take a look…"

Half to my delight, half to my annoyance, he looked surprised at my genuinely brilliant idea. (Not that I'd seen the film or anything.) Susan, who had been talking quietly with Lucy, now stepped forward.

"That's a good idea – we need to find out where exactly we are."

She and Lucy set off and, grinning, Edmund lowered his head to whisper mischievously

"Besides, looks like the lovebirds are going to go that way anyway."

Elated that he should favour me with this small secret joke, I followed his gaze. Ahead of Susan and Lucy, Peter and Amy were making their way up the slope. I noted with a grin Peter's chivalrous hold on my cousin's hand, and the blissed out look on her face.

"Come on." Edmund set off after his sisters, and I followed, my brain still too jelly like to enable real thinking.

We trudged slowly up the steep slope, and twice I slipped. Luckily, I was at the back, so I didn't take anyone down with me. Both times Edmund turned to check I was alright, and this, partnered with the fact that I was actually in Narnia (!!) gave me an odd feeling of elation. This is not good – my clumsiness tends to treble along with my mood. We eventually reached the top of the hill and a short distance in front of us we could see an apple orchard, where the other four were already exploring. Edmund fell into step beside me, but my joy at this fact was short-lived.

"Where are you from?"

"Um" I was thrown off by his bluntness "Hale…" he looked black so I tried again "Cheshire…" still nothing "England" His answer was another question,

"How did you know about Narnia?"

"What do you mean? I'm in it!" (Duh.)

"Yes, but how did you know that?"

"You told me!"

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did! I asked, and you said we were-"

"You asked whether we were in Narnia or not."

"So?!"

"So, how did you know how to ask that? Have you been here before?"

"No!"

"Then how did you know?!"

During his hard-faced interrogation I felt the first stirrings of dislike, left over from his rudeness on the beach, rise up. Tired of his questioning, and feeling like being rude myself, I walked over to where Amy and Peter were stood conversing quietly.

"My Dad's in the war – he's a pilot."

"Really? My Dad's a salesman."

"He's not in the war?"

"Um… there isn't-" Seeing this was about to get awkward, I interrupted with the suggestion that someone climb a tree and get down some apples. Across from me, Lucy agreed enthusiastically and dragged Susan over. Edmund stood under the next tree, watching darkly.

"So!" I said brightly "Who's going to climb?"

They all looked at me pointedly. I sighed. "Alright, someone give me a leg up."

Peter, always noble, let go of Amy's hand (which I hadn't realized he was still holding) to offer himself as a footstool. Lightly as I could I stepped onto his back and grabbed the nearest branch, swinging myself up nimbly – my tree climbing skills were a particular proud point of mine, I acquired a grace completely alien to me normally. I could feel Edmund's gaze on me as I climbed higher and higher into the tree. I stopped among a cluster of apples which I felt to be edible and began tossing them down to the people waiting, what seemed to me at least, a very long way down. I threw an apple to Edmund, or I tried to, but my view of him was partially obscured by the tree, and I am, unfortunately, a very clumsy person. My apple hit him square in the head.

"Hey!"

I had to laugh, of course I did, at the sheer ridiculous and unlikeliness of it all – here I was throwing apples at Edmund Pevensie (whose pictures, by the way, completely covered half of my wall back home) in Narnia, but that only made the situation worse: now he assumed I'd hit him on purpose, which I couldn't have done if I'd tried. He wasn't bothered by, in fact I think I caught him laughing, but I tried to get down anyway. However, my foot was caught between some branches just below me, and I couldn't reach to get it out.

"Help!" Amy looked up "Hey, I'm stuck!"

My cousin marched determinately over to where Edmund was rubbing his head, dragging Peter with her, and said imperiously

"Get your butt into that tree!"

Edmund stared at her incredulously "I… what?"

"You heard me. Either you climb it, or I kick your ass into it."

In my tree I suppressed a laugh as my would-be-rescuer hoisted himself into the tree. Aware of my shame at having to be rescued from a tree, especially by someone who I would have really wanted to impress (but who apparently wasn't all that fond of me) I busied myself in repeated and fruitless attempts to free my foot. The receding voices told me that the others were walking away, secure in the assumption that Edmund was going to help me, and not murder me.

A branch creaked next to me, and then someone – Edmund, obviously – was freeing my foot. I looked up, met his dark eyes and was rendered speechless. Ever so gently, he pulled my converse-clad foot free of its entanglement and then smiled widely at me. Overjoyed, I beamed back.

"You rescued me."

"Yeah, from a tree." He smirked, and I protested.

"Hey! It's not just any tree, this is an evil tree, placed here for the sole purpose of embarrassing me."

"Right."

"It is!" I insisted, and he conceded gracefully

"Alright, it is."

"Great!" I grinned and, with my foot now free, dropped easily to the ground. "Now you can figure out how to get yourself down."  
His eyes glinted "Is that a challenge?"

I laughed "No! It's a necessity!"

As I skipped away to join the others, I heard a thump behind me, and then Edmund sprinted past me, laughing. We raced all the way to the others, and Edmund was winning, but we ground to a halt when we saw the look on Peter's face. He held up a chess piece, and beside me Edmund gasped.

**_Oh, doncha just love cliffhangers? No? Didn't think so..._**

**_R&R?_**

**_-Kes_**


	3. Blue remembered hills

_**Unfortunately, this bit's kinda similar to the film, but you've gotta have some continuity.**_

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing, way to rub it in._**

_**Chapter 2: **_**Blue Remembered Hills**

"Hey, that's my chess piece!"

"From which set?"

Everyone apart from Amy looked at Peter as though he were stupid.

"Well, I didn't exactly have a solid gold chess-set in Finchley, did I?"

I looked at Amy and knew she was all of a sudden as freaked out as I was: here were lines directly from the film we loved so much, knew off by heart, and now we were in it! This was crazy. The two of us walked through the next part in a daze, silently watching the Pevensies' discovery just as we had in the film.

"Cair Paravel!" Peter cried.

I sighed "No kidding."

Amy grinned "What's next?" We thought for a moment, then she continued "Isn't it the discovery of-"

"Hey! Over here!"

We exchanged grins and ran over to join the others at a stone door, which Peter and Edmund had just pushed open. We watched in amusement as Peter tore a strip from his shirt to make a light, only to be made a fool of when Edmund produced his new torch. Silently, we followed the barefoot Pevensies down the steps and into a room holding all of their past treasures. We stood back and watched in awe as they re-discovered bits of their old life.

Edmund, peering through a helmet far too big for him, beckoned me forward, I turned to look for Amy and found her already at Peter's side. I smiled and crossed the room to stand next to Edmund.

"So… your head shrunk?" I guessed with a grin, and he stuck his tongue out at me. Susan was consoling Lucy, whose dressed were all too big, with a motherly

"Well, you were older then."

Edmund added "As opposed to hundreds of years later, when you're younger." and everyone laughed.

It was decided that we would attract less attention in typical Narnian clothes and that, for practical reasons, Amy and I would borrow a dress each from Susan or Lucy. (Although Edmund did offer me a rather amusing looking garment, which he identified as 'stockings for boys'. Needless to say, I declined.) Amy chose a gorgeous lilac dress, embroidered with delicate flower, and I a deep midnight blue, hemmed in silver thread. Having myself, much to Edmund's amusement, elected to keep my converses on, I was a little dubious about Amy's beautiful but entirely impractical choice of high heels. Despite her insistence that it was unnecessary, I grabbed a pair of spare flat boots for her.

While Peter, stuck to Amy like glue, worked out what we would do, I drifted off to contemplate my situation. I am unusual person, in that whenever I'm uncomfortable in my surroundings, I recite poetry. If I'm depressed it's something comforting like Shakespeare or John Donne, boredom calls for the exciting free verse of Federico Garcia Lorca and panic, well, panic warrants the familiar lull of A. E. Housman.

"Into my heart an air that kills

From yon far country blows.

What are those blue remembered hills,

What spires, what farms are those?

That is the land of lost content

I see it standing plain" I was interrupted.

"The happy high ways where I went

And cannot come again."

I spun, startled – I hadn't been aware I was speaking aloud.

"Housman"

It was Edmund "Yes, A Shropshire Lad."

He grinned "You like poetry?"

"Clearly"

"Do you write?"  
I hesitated "Yes"

He waited and I frowned "I'm not reciting any."

"Please" He looked at me with his huge dark eyes and I knew I couldn't resist. Mentally, I selected the least embarrassing of my poems and took a deep breath:

"Truth can be beauty

Beauty is weak

Weakness is loss

Loss can be bleak

Bleak can be blank

And blank can mean youth

Youth can mean beauty

And beauty is truth"

I was fond of that one, something about the full-circleness of it. I looked up shyly and saw that Edmund was about to say something. Unfortunately, he never got the chance.

"Reading love poetry now, Ed?"

I blushed a furious pink, but Edmund stood, unfazed and turned to his brother

"So, what's the plan?"

As Peter began outlining the details of our upcoming journey, most of which Amy and I knew better than him, I felt my face begin to return to a normal colour, or rather not normal – my complexion was unnaturally white.

We set off in the direction Peter had decided and I did some more pondering – how far into the film were we? Would we have to stay here overnight? Would we camp? When would we go home? _Would_ we go home? Within the first few feet I was shocked out of my confusion by Amy, who tripped in her high-heels and was caught by Peter. Grinning, I offered her the boots I was still carrying, and she and Peter stopped while she changed shoes.

Still chuckling, I turned to head on down the hill, and my foot caught of a tuft of grass. This part of the hill was the steepest, and I just had time to contemplate the unfairness of this before I was cannoning unstoppably downwards, straight towards a blissfully unaware Edmund. I called out a warning, and he turned to look, but it was too late. I slammed into him and then we were both rolling at break-neck speed down the hill. I could hear someone yelling and realized with surprise that it was me.

With a loud thump as we hit a tree, we came to a sudden stop. The two of us lay there for a few seconds, listening to the footsteps as the others ran towards us, and then we burst out laughing. We were still laughing a few moments later when the others arrived and looked down at us with a mix of amusement and surprise on their faces.

"Falling head over heels…"

Amy! I glared up at my cousin – I would get revenge. I felt myself blushing, and when I looked up Edmund's face above mine was pink too. He pulled himself up and held out his hand to help me up too. We avoided each others' eyes, and I hated myself for my stupid, stupid clumsiness.

We continued walking in an awkward silence until we reached the bottom of the hill. Because of this, Amy and Peter, who were the only ones talking, were easily audible.

"I missed Narnia."

"Yeah, I can see why."  
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"As my cousin nodded, I got the feel Peter wasn't just talking about the countryside.

"I always used to think, if I came back, I would purposefully not do anything, in case that was what we were here for and then we'd have to go back."

Amy laughed "That's a good plan"

"Yeah," he sighed "Only it'd never work. I wonder how long we've got this time."

"Don't worry about that – just go by every day."

A smile touched his lips "Carpe Diem, huh?"

"Yep. Life's more fun that way."

"Yeah, I suppose it is."

I stopped listening.

The grass beneath my feet became rock, and then sand again and, as I looked down, I noticed my laces were untied. As the others set off across the beach, I bent down to double-knot them. When I looked up, Edmund was by my side. I stood up quickly, still looking at my shoes, and mumbled an apology.

"What for?" he looked confused, so I elaborated

"For nearly killing you on that hill – I hate being so clumsy."

He smiled "I don't mind. And besides, I'll get my revenge." His smile turned into a smirk.

I raised an eyebrow, but let it pass, and we caught up with the others. Ahead of us, Amy and Peter were talking quietly again

"…and then we beat the white witch and won the battle."

Amy, who knew the story of Narnia off by heart, was drinking in his every word

"Really?"

He nodded "I suppose we're here for a reason this time, too."

Amy smiled "Wonder why I'm here…"

Peter shrugged "I don't know, but I'm glad you are."  
Amy blushed and I tuned out and turned to Edmund, who had also been watching the exchange.

"I suppose your brother's had lots of girlfriends."  
Edmund shook his head "He's never really been interested in girls before – I've never seen him like this."

I smiled, happy for my cousin, and added "What do you reckon, though, cheesiest line ever?"

Edmund laughed "Yeah, pretty much." A pause, then "Don't suppose you're going to tell me how or why you got here, or how you knew this is Narnia, are you?"

I shook my head – I didn't know the answer to most of that myself, and the whole 'oh, well you're in a film' thing would not go down well. Edmund shrugged

"Be mysterious, then."

Mysterious, I hadn't thought of that, not that I was complaining. Yes, I liked the sound of it. Grinning, I asked a question of my own.

"Why are _you_ here?"

I did, of course, know why he was here, but I was curious as to what he thought about it – it made this seem more real. I was beginning to be drawn into it – if this was a dream, which was likely, there was no way I could just wake up and pretend it never happened. The emotions attached were too powerful. Edmund was thinking

"I don't know, I mean, last time we were here we were needed to fulfill a prophecy, maybe there's another one."

I nodded, it was a reasonable theory "Any why do you think I'm here?" Perhaps his answer would give me some insight. He shrugged "Maybe they want six rulers this time."

I laughed - this I knew not to be true, this time there would only be one.

"Or" he continued with a grin "Maybe you're just here to annoy the hell out of me."

Laughing, I kicked sand at him. He shrieked in mock mortification and returned the gesture:

"I must defend my honour!"

A sand fight ensued.

I was about to surrender when we heard a commotion ahead of us. We turned and ran to where the others were - only to see two Spanish looking soldiers holding a dwarf (whose name I knew to be Trumpkin) above the water. Beside me, Edmund had drawn his sword, and I saw the other three Pevensies had done the same. Once again, I was grateful for Amy's presence – at least I wasn't the only useless one. Susan called out loudly

"Drop him!"

As one, my cousin and I put our heads in our hand, and the Telmarine soldiers did as they were told.

**_I always cringe at that bit in the film. Who liked my poem? :D_**

**_R&R?_**

**_- Kes_**

**_P.S. Is it sad that I can write lines straight in from the film, without having to watch it to know what the lines are? :S_**


	4. The Mosenator

_**Hey, there's more! This is my favourite scene in the movie. It's not my favourite chapter, though, although I admit I am uite fond of my Edmund name-calling rant near the end.**_

**_Disclaimer: Still don't own it. What did you expect?_**

_**Chapter 3: **_**The Mosenator**

Peter and Edmund ran into the lake. Amy and I exchanged identical grins, as Susan fired arrows at the Telmarine soldiers. A minute or so later, Peter crawled out of the lake with a dripping Trumpkin in his arms, and Amy was immediately by his side. I watched as the others all crowded round the bearded Narnian, and then turned to see Edmund stumbling up the bank with the boat. I ran over to help him drag it up onto the beach, and then we ran over to the others. I stopped next to Amy.

"Drop him?! _Drop_ him?! That was the best you could come up with?" Trumpkin was evidently unimpressed.

"A simple thank you would suffice."

"They were doing fine drowning me on their own."

"Why were they trying to drown you in the first place?"

"They're Telmarines, that's what they do."

Beside me, Edmund's attention had been caught "Telmarines, in Narnia?"

"Where have you been for the past few hundred years?"

Lucy shared a smile with her siblings "It's a bit of a long story actually."

"Oh no," realization coloured Trumpkin's face like a rain cloud. "You're it? You're the kings and queens of old?"

The Pevensies smiled, but Trumpkin was confused

"But there are six of you."

Amy was quick to correct him "Oh, we're just… extra."

I was still congratulating her on her wonderful articulacy when Peter drew his sword and handed it to Trumpkin "Oh you don't want to do that, boy."

"Not me, him." He pointed to Edmund, and I nudged my cousin

"Look Amy, it's the fight scene."

For this I received a rather odd look from Edmund, whom I hadn't realized was within hearing distance. I shot him an encouraging smile: he would win the fight easily, I knew it. (Of course, the reason for this was that I'd already seen him do so the ten or eleven times I'd watched the film, but that was hardly the point.) Quickly, with a series of blows that were almost too fast to follow, he knocked Trumpkin to the ground in a shockingly impressive fight sequence. On the ground, Trumpkin's expression mirrored my thoughts.

Between us, with a lot of prompting from Amy and me, we decided that we might as well use the boat that Edmund had so smartly got hold of, so we all piled in it. Amy tossed me a grin as we got in, and I knew she was remembering, like me, the time in Liverpool when we had christened this boat 'The Mosenator' after William Moseley, the actor who played Peter.

The seven of us set off down the river – extremely squished. After about twenty minutes of Peter rowing silently, I saw something I was sure I recognised so, with incredible stupidity, (even for me) I stood up. In a boat. Full of people. To no one's surprise but my own, I fell in the river. Unfortunately, I can't remember what happened next – I hit my head on the side of the boat as I fell, and blacked out. When I came to, I was in the bottom of the boat, coughing up water, and a soaking wet Edmund was by my side. I looked at him in surprise and he grinned sheepishly,

"Amy pushed me in after you."

I managed a weak smile, and then coughed up some more water which is, by the way, not in any way a pleasant sensation. Behind me I could hear Trumpkin grumbling about something, probably me, and next to me Amy was asking if I felt alright. I nodded and pulled myself into a sitting position. This turned out not to be a good idea – the world blurred interestingly. I swayed, and Edmund steadied me gently.

After making sure I was okay, Peter set off rowing again. Amy kept shooting not-so-subtle looks in my direction, apparently convinced that I had concussion, or at least some other sort of head related problem. After I could her checking for the eighth time, I sighed

"I'm not going to black out again, I promise."

Amy turned away, and Peter smiled gently down at her. Beside me, Edmund hid a smile.

Eventually we decided to pull up on a deserted looking beach, fringed by gorgeous forest. We were dragging the boat on to the sand when Amy called out suddenly

"Lucy!"

We turned to see my cousin pulling Lucy back away from a very large, very hungry looking bear. Too late I remembered the equivalent scene – I was getting too wrapped up in the story line. The bear was stalking towards the two girls now, and Peter pushed past me, running towards Amy and his sister, Edmund on his heels. Unusually for high drama moments, the scene seemed to move in fast forward. One minute the boys were running forwards, swords drawn, and the next there was an arrow sticking out of a dead bear, and Trumpkin was holding his bow.

Peter reached Amy and Lucy and, in his relief, drew first his sister and then my cousin into his arms. He hugged the latter for just a little too long, and Edmund and I exchanged a smirk.

"I don't think he was a talking bear" said Susan softly, Trumpkin shrugged

"You get treated like a dumb animal for long enough, that's what you become."

With the mood killed somewhat, we headed towards the trees. I wanted to talk to my cousin, but from Peter's arm round her shoulders I could tell he wouldn't be relinquishing her company for some time. Trumpkin was leading and, as far as I could see, we were going in the right direction, so I settled down for some quality thinking time. At some point I had decided that, for now, I would accept that this was real: ask no questions, receive no lies. There was, however, a problem with this: we, and by that I mean Amy in particular, were making serious, long term relationships. And, if I remembered rightly, we wouldn't have all that long here: get lost, meet Prince Caspian, battle, another battle, go home. I looked ahead of me, where Amy and Peter were deep in conversation, and felt suddenly and overwhelmingly sad.

"Let me not to the marriage of true minds/ admit impediments."  
I jumped when Edmund laughed, I hadn't noticed him fall into step beside me.

"Shakespeare?"

I nodded, my eyes still fixed on Amy and Peter "Love is not love/ which alters when it alteration finds."

Edmund sighed, "You know something I don't know"

I looked at him in surprise "Um...why do you say that?"  
"You look sad, and 'when it alteration finds'? What alteration?"

I smiled despite myself "You're far too observant for your own good."

He laughed "Speaking of observant, what do you reckon about those two?"

I grinned "Well, they do say love is blind."

He turned the full force of his intense stare upon me suddenly, and said quietly "True love makes people more aware."

Silence. I was aware of the awkwardness, but couldn't place a reason for it. Several minutes had passed before either of us spoke again:

"When are you from?" he said it like a sudden thought had just struck him, and I turned, caught off guard, and said automatically

"2009" It was only as I said it that I realised he came from the early 40s. Even if I hadn't known this for sure, the look of shock on his face would have been enough to confirm it.

"2009?!"

"Um...yeah."

"Wow" he looked really freaked out "That's one heck of an age gap."

We both looked at Peter and Amy ahead of us, and I laughed "Tell me about it – I mean, _70 years_!"

He blinked, "Wait, how did you know that?"

Oh great. I'd gone and done it again, hadn't I? Well done me, standing ovation anybody?

"...Know what...?"

"70 years – how did you know that?"

"Lucky guess?" I suggested weakly, and Edmund sighed, his annoyance evident, and turned away. Angry with my big mouth, I looked around and stopped.

"We're going the wrong way."

Edmund turned, shot me a frustrated look, and continued walking.

"No, wait, I'm serious! We're going the wrong way!"

Peter, knocked out of his happy bubble with Amy, turned to me and shook his head

"We're not, trust me. I know Narnia like the back of my hand."

I rolled my eyes, what is it with guys and their egos?! They just can't be wrong, can they? My cousin decided to help

"I think you should listen to her..."

Peter laughed annoyingly "That's the problem with girls, you can't carry a map in your heads."

"That's 'cos our head shave something in them!" quipped Lucy and Susan hid a laugh.

As Peter, pompous ass, kept going in the same direction, Amy and I exchanged a look. I shook my head – let it go, he would find out soon enough. Amy shrugged and rolled her eyes at Peter, and I shooed her off after him. She giggled and did so. He beamed at her as she slipped into step beside him, so I pushed away my annoyance and was happy for her – he might be annoying, but he was sweet, and clearly really liked her.

We continues walking for a while, until we arrived at the edge of a very steep cliff. Peter coloured and looked at me sheepishly. I smiled back at him brightly. Suddenly, Lucy called out

"Aslan!"

Everyone turned to where she was pointing, but I already knew there would be nothing there. Sighing, I prepared myself for the entirely pointless trip to the ford at Beruna and back, and shifted my weight to my right foot, stepping forward to see how far down the river was. Suddenly, the solid ground beneath my feet wasn't solid anymore. Even as I heard Susan and Peter's incredulous responses to Lucy's exclamation, I was falling. Then I wasn't. Blinking, I looked around and realised I'd found the way down. On top of the cliff I heard Amy ask

"Where's Kerry?"

I realised with a grin that they mustn't have noticed me fall.

"Kes?! Kerry!"

That was Edmund – don't know what he sounded so worried for, I wasn't exactly his favourite person in the world, was I? I was so very very tempted to sit there for another few minutes, but that probably wasn't such a brilliant idea, so I stood up awkwardly, to be met with the shocked faces of the others. Suddenly, to my intense surprise, Edund was shouting

"What in hell were you doing?! You could have DIED! Why were you stood so close to the cliff edge?! We didn't know what had happened to you!"

Wow. Someone has a temper, then again, speaking of temper...

"How DARE you?! Who gave you the right to shout at me like that, what are you, my mother?! I was looking over the edge for a way down, and now I've found one!"

He fumed silently, I swear I actually saw smoke coming out of his ears, and I was certain that I looked identical. Why was it that he managed to evoke such strong reactions in me? If you'd have given me a sword right then, I honestly would have killed him, although, knowing my luck, I would probably have held it the wrong way round and killed myself instead. Still.

"You... found a way down?" Amy prompted quietly, and Peter picked up on the hint

"Yes, let's go."

I stepped back to let him lead the way down the conveniently placed path. We traipsed down the cliff, me furiously kicking stones on the way (all the better if they hit Edmund, which none of them did.) and reached the bottom in good time. We splashed along the river bed for some time, all concentrating too hard on various thoughts and/or not slipping to talk., until we came to an opening in the cliff face. Silently, we turned down it and walked through the rees. I was still angry – how dare he! How dare he presume to talk down to me like that! As if he knew better. Big headed, arrogant, assuming, sexist, pompous, sarcastic-

"Let's make camp here."

I forced myself to stop calling Edmund names in my head, and looked up at Peter, who'd spoken. He was looking at the sky, and I followed his gaze. Night was falling, and in the morning everything was going to change.

**_R&R?_**

**_- Kes_**


	5. Elementary, my dear Pevensie!

_**Hey! I'm depressed. :( I've been putting so much work into this, and I've got loads of story alert and story favourite adds, but only two reviews. So please just drop me a line about it: even if it's just one word. I feel so lonely without reviews... **_

**_Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah... Still don't own Ed. :( I do own myself though! And my cousin too, for the purpose of this story. :D_**

_**Chapter 4: **_**Elementary, my dear Pevensie!**

'Making camp' consisted of gathering sticks for a fire. While Peter bustled about organising this, I dragged my cousin aside to talk properly for the first time since we'd arrived in Narnia.

"Okay, what the hell?"

"I know! We're in NARNIA!"

"God," I ran a hand through my hair – a habit I had, amusingly, picked up from Michael J. Fox: a by-product of watching Back To The Future _way _too many times. "What's going on? Is this real?"

"I dunno" she blushed prettily "Peter seems real to me."

I offered her an indulgent smile and sighed, I was so tired. I didn't even try to figure out what time it would be at home – did the normal rules apply to us? No time passing and the like? And if not, what about our parents? Would we be added to the endless list of missing persons? Were they even now perhaps looking for us?

"And Edmund, too..." she continued hesitantly, and I forced myself to concentrate back on now

"Too real."

"He was only worried, y'know."

"What?"

"Before, when he shouted at you, it was only because he was worried."

I smiled reluctantly "You're trying to tell me I was too harsh, aren't you?"

She looked embarrassed "Am I that easy to read?"

I laughed "Only for me. Still, he was really rude, sorry but I ain't apologising anytime soon."

"He was panicking – you should have seen his face. And earlier too, when you went for a swim, asleep."

We shared a laugh at that, and chatted companiably for a few moments about everything and nothing: my hair, for example, which was currently coloured a rich and lovely red, her inappropriate shoe choice of earlier, my clumsiness which seemed to have followed me to Narnia, and why we couldn't have warm weather like this back home. We both went quiet at the mention of home, and after a minute I tactfully changed the subject.

"So, you and Peter seem to be getting along pretty well."

She tried not to blush, but didn't quite manage it "He just... everything I thought he would be, y'know? The proper thing – real King Peter."

I grinned "That's High King Peter to you." We chuckled, and then I continued cheekily "So, is he really as big headed as he seems?"

She hit me gently but indignantly, and we chatted much in the same manner for a while, but later on, lay wide awake by the fire, I couldn't forget what she'd said about Edmund. Perhaps she was right, perhaps he was worried, although I couldn't imagine why – we weren't exactly best friends. Still, either way he hadn't deserved my harsh response.

I turned over to see if he was awake, but he wasn't there. Confused, I sat up. Edmund had disappeared. Frowning, I peered through the darkness and eventually found a dark shape a few meters into the dark fringe of forest which surrounded our clearing. I stood up and made my stumbling way towards it. As I stepped out of the firelight, my eyes began to adjust, and I could see from his posture that it was definitely Edmund. As I started towards him he turned, saw me, and turned back again. So, this wasn't going to be easy, then. I took another step towards him, but he made no indication of knowing I was there. Sighing, I decided that this apology would just have to be directed at his back.

"Look Edmund-"

"Ed"

I blinked "What?"

"Call me Ed." His back was still turned to me.

"Um..." How odd. I struggled to recall what I had been going to say. "Er... oh yes, Edmund- sorry, Ed" it felt weird, calling him that, but in a good way. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that, I know, and I'm sorry..." I trailed off, and his back remained firmly towards me. I felt my previous anger at him fire up again. "But you were being a know-it-all idiot, and I was so-" I stopped as I noticed his shoulders shaking. "Ed, are you... crying?"

"No!" He turned to face me at last, and I saw with a amazement that he was _laughing. _Confusion obliterated my anger.

"Why are you laughing?"

"You're- you're apologising to- to me!"he spluttered between giggles and, predictable as a ping-pong ball, my anger was back again.

"Yes! Look, I was trying to be mature about this, seeing as we're about to be smack bang in the middle of a war, but if you want to be a fool, then-"

"Wait," he cut me off "What did you just say?"

Oh God. Not _again_. Jesus this was getting old. "Um, I'm trying to be mature."

"No, not that, the war part. Why would you say that?"

"It's pretty obvious... isn't it? Really?"

It was clear from his face that he wasn't buying it: a distraction was needed.

"And what were you laughing about, anyway?"

He blinked, and then looked away quickly. I waited impatiently with hands on my hips: this better be good.

"I just..." he looked down, suddenly bashful "I just thought it should be me who was apologising, not you."

"Oh," My devious distraction was working too well: now I was distracted too. "Well..."

A frown creased his freckled forehead "But that's not the point – you can't keep coming out with stuff like that. You're going to have to explain something sometime!"

I stared him down "Why should I?!My reason for being here, and the very fact that I'm here in the first place, has absolutely nothing to do with you, and is therefore none of your business!"

I walked away from him, angrier that I had been before. How dare he think he had a right to ask me stuff I didn't even know myself?! What business was it of his?! I tripped over a rock and was torn out of my angry though trail. (I have lots of those) Frustrated, I looked around. I was going the wrong way. Damn. I turned around, but I could still see Edmund in the dim moonlight, frustration shining in his dark eyes, and there was no way I was going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me turn around and walk back again. Stubbornly, I continued in the direction I was going.

I stumbled stupidly and blindly through the forest for a few more minutes until I realised how incredibly thick I was being. What in hell was I thinking? Stumbling round a dark forest, in Narnia no less! In attempting to avoid looking a total idiot, I had managed to make an even bigger fool of myself. I found myself wondering what Edmund- Ed, must think of me. I turned and began to make my way back the way I thought I'd come, but of course it was impossible to tell in the dark. Suddenly, I heard voices up ahead. Cautiously, I walked towards them. There was no way I was back at the fire yet, but I was sure I couldn't have stumbled onto some enemy camp. As I crept forward, I strained my ears to listen, and tried to remember which part of the film I was in. I took a step nearer to the sounds, and the words became distinguishable.

"...ever camped before?"

I recognised that voice! Relief washed over me as the familiar voice of my cousin answered Peter.

"No, I'm not really the camping type. Have you?"

"Lots of time, especially last time we were here. It wasn't half as much fun, though."

"No?"

"No, you weren't here."

I backed away, aware that I was intruding on a rather private moment, and wondered vaguely what they were doing away from the fire. Still, at least I was going in the right direction. I took a wide circle around the clearing they were in, and soon I could see firelight. It was only then that I realised with amusement hat it hadn't even occurred to me to be frightened. I had been too busy being angry at myself, and Edmund of course, but that was usual. Had I been back in England, I would certainly have been scared stiff within two minutes.

I slipped quietly back into the circle of firelight and noted with a quick glance that Ed hadn't returned. Susan smiled at me, and Lucy wondered aloud why Peter and Amy were taking so long to get firewood. I considered enlightening her, but decided against it. I sighed and lay down next to the warmth of the fire: my front burning hot and my back freezing, thinking that it must be at least midnight. Just as I was drifting off, a vague thought occurred to me: I hadn't thought of England as home.

I woke early the next morning, it was just getting light. The fire was still smouldering gently, and Amy was asleep next to me. I sat up and looked around. Peter and Lucy were gone, probably to get more firewood, Susan, Trumpkin and Edmund, on my other side, still seemed to be asleep.

"Psst." As a thought occurred to me, I poked my cousin "Psst, Amy."  
"Wha-?" she mumbled sleepily

"Look, I'm trying to remember what happens next."  
She blinked at me, and muttered something indistinguishable, which sounded suspiciously like 'leave me alone'. I sat, deep in thought for a few moments, and then suddenly it came to me

"Meeting Prince Caspian!" I practically yelled, and then realised my mistake.

Quickly, I looked around the circle to check the other three were still asleep. Just for a moment, I could have sworn I'd seen Edmund looking at me, but I blinked and his eyes were closed. Relieved, I turned back to Amy and found with a grin that she was fast asleep again. I was just about to lie back down myself, after all, I had no way of knowing how much longer I would have to wait until something happened, when I heard a shout, followed by the clashing of swords. Spoke too soon I guess.

The others were awake and on their feet in an instant, racing towards the sound, but I lagged behind, knowing what to expect. Amy looked at me with wide eyes, fully awake now, when she realised Peter was gone, and together we followed the others in the direction of the shout. When we caught up with them I saw that I had been right, there in front of us was Caspian, as fit in real life as in the film by the way, staring angrily at Peter. Amy slipped past Lucy to stand near Peter and I skidded to a halt next to, unfortunately, Edmund. We just caught the end of Peter's sentence

"...Prince Caspian?"

I would imagine that everyone reacted differently, but I was aware only of one person. Beside me, Ed had turned sharply and was now staring at me with piercing eyes. It took me two seconds to figure out why: I hadn't been going crazy when I'd thought he'd been awake back in the clearing. He'd heard my exclamation. Great. He already didn't trust me, and I'd just given him even more reason not to. Carefully avoiding his eyes, I watched Caspian's introduction to the Pevensies, Amy and I. As we set off towards Aslan's How, I noted uneasily Edmund say something to Peter, and Peter turn to stare at me. I dropped back to fall into step beside my cousin

"I think they know we know."

I received a confused look, so I elaborated

"Edmund suspects I know something I shouldn't, and he's telling Peter.

"Oh" she followed my gaze "What should we do? We can't really tell them we've seen the film version."

I laughed "Well, we could, but that would just get far too confusing. No, I actually have an idea. Thing is, Ed only knows about me, so you could probably get away with it. I mean, we shouldn't both have to suffer 'cos of my big mouth - if you can keep quiet until we sort all this out, then you should be alright."  
"No-" she began to argue, but I cut her off

"Hear me out, okay?"

She nodded and I continued "They don't trust me, but Peter definitely trusts you, and it seems pointless to drag you into this: they might as well trust one of us. Besides, I don't want to ruin whatever it is you have with Peter."

She wasn't too impressed with my plan, but reluctantly agreed "I guess we wouldn't be much use if both of us were outcasts."  
I thought about that "What do you suppose we're here for, anyway?"  
She shrugged "No idea. Peter says he doesn't mind, so long as I'm here."

I laughed "And Edmund says he think I'm here to annoy him. We both rolled our eyes, and I continued more seriously "I'm going to have to tell them something, aren't I?"

"What about 'we're here to stalk you'?"

"Ooh, no, I know! 'We're here to _marry_ you!'"

We both laughed and the Amy sighed

"So what are you actually going to tell them?"

"How about..." I considered, sifting through my extensive knowledge of Narnia "Aslan sent me? That would explain how I know what's going to happen."

Amy couldn't think of anything better, so we settled on that. After about an hour of walking, we reached a gap in the trees. Eager for the walk to be over – we'd done way too much exercise since we'd got here – I slipped to the front and peered over Lucy's head. In front of us, magnificent in the late afternoon sunshine, was Aslan's How. We had reached our destination.

**_Not sure if I like that one or not... ah well. Ed's being a prick again. And I got lost! (Which I have of coure _never _done in real life... )_**

**_Thanks to NattAttack for being the only reviewer other than l-m-h, who's lovely enough to reivew all of my fics. :)_**

**_R&R? Seriously..._**

**_- Kes_**


	6. Be careful what you wish for

_**Hey there, I'm back. Off to Germany on Tuesday, so this may be the last one for a while - GCSEs inlike a month - or it may not. We'll see. Happy reading! Oh, and endless thanks to my reviewers: Nattattack, TanyaGill and justplaincrazy8! **_

_**Disclaimer: No tengo un Narnia en mi armario, vale?**_

_**Chapter 5: **_**Be careful what you wish for**

Shyly, Caspian showed Peter the preparations he'd been making for war, but I caught an edge of defiance to his words. We walked between centaurs and fauns as if they were the most ordinary things in the world, but inside my heart was thumping loudly as I silently marvelled at the Narnians. A talkative squirrel caught my eye, followed by a wise looking badger I recognised as Trufflehunter, and then a faun with a genuinely odd face, whom my cousin and I had named 'Face-Making-Guy' while watching the film. Ed wasn't talking to me, and Peter was distracted by Caspian (who, to my amusement, kept shooting not-so-subtle looks at Susan) so Amy and I were free to talk.

"I suppose they'll be confronting me soon."  
"Yeah, have you got your story straight?"

"Think so, what's yours? Y'know, in case they ask..."

"I'm from 1988, my name is Amy Smith and I'd never seen you before the day we arrived in Narnia."  
I nodded "I suppose this is all gonna come out at some point, but that can't be helped."

"No- I mean, they meet Aslan at the end, don't they? Guess we'll find out then why we're here."  
I froze

"What? Kerry, what's the matter?"

"Battles. We're going to be in battles. We can't fight! I'd probably kill myself if I tried to pick up a sword! And they'll all attack us! WE. ARE. GOING. TO. DIE."

I expected Amy to join in my panic, considering her reaction to the castle scene when we'd watched the film, which had included several "No!"s and a few tears but, always surprising me, she smiled soothingly and said

"Well, we'll just have to learn then."

Ahead of us, the others had stopped, and I watched as she walked over to join them. Peter smiled at her as she stopped by his side, and took her hand. A minute or so later she had joined the conversation and was talking animatedly, using her hands – like I did when I was really passionate about something. I saw the others nodding in agreement, and was struck by an odd though: Narnia suited Amy. A low voice by my side made me jump: I hadn't noticed Edmund leave the others.

"I hope you've got your explanation sorted, Kes."

I sighed. My legs were tired after the walk, my brain was struggling to deal with Narnia and the future and Edmund was being a fool. All of this made me snappy.

"And if I haven't? What are you going to do? Feed me to a minotaur? Lock me up in some cave until you've won all of your battles and saved Narnia again? If I'm here, I'm here for a reason. Maybe you just need to trust me.

When he didn't answer I asked quietly "What do you think I am, anyway? A Telmarine spy?"

He nodded "That's the most likely theory."

Idiot. "Yes, except it isn't likely at all." I gestured to my pale skin and red hair "Do I look remotely Telmarine to you? And you saw Amy and I appear out of thin air onto the very same beach as you! Clearly, I'm from earth. What's more, have you ever heard of a Narnian A.E. Housman?" Go me!

His argument clearly defeated, Edmund frowned and stalked off, tossing over his shoulder:

"Save your defence for Peter."

Great. God, how had I ended up on such bad terms with Ed? Ed, who I had adored for years, but who evidently despised me, and was turning out to be a right pain in the ass. Frowning deeply, I followed him.

The party was heading further into Aslan's How, and I remembered vaguely that Caspian was taking the Pevensies to see the Stone Table. I looked at Ed's stiff shoulders and wondered what had happened to the boy who'd kicked sand at me (very expertly, I might add) just yesterday. Was it really only yesterday? So much had happened, already I had to think for a moment to remember that Edmund wasn't Edmund (back home, at least) but an actor named Skandar Keynes, and I was confused every time I considered this.

I heard a gasp ahead of me, as light flooded the cave I had presumably just walked into. I looked around. In the centre of the room was the Stone Table, cracked in half down the middle, and covering the walls were breath-taking carvings, exquisitely detailed. I found I recognised the cave from the film, and smiled to myself. In the book, which I had already read three times by the age of eight, this scene was the one in which the Pevensies meet Prince Caspian, so apparently we were going by the film here, but what the hell – it was easier to remember. Silently, I slipped out of the cave into a tunnel we must just have walked through – I had been _very_ deep in thought – in desperate search of some form of bathroom. Now, C.S. Lewis and Andrew Adamson are all very well and good, only they left out rather a lot: I have gone to the loo in a bush before, but somehow it's a lot worse while wearing a floor length dress. Also, there is a reason leaves are not used as toilet paper. Plus, I hadn't showered or brushed my hair for around two days. Not nice. The others didn't seem to mind it, but I was unimpressed: Narnia is rather less glamorous when you smell. Suddenly, a voice stopped me.

"Where are you going?"

Ed, wonderful. Well, I could explain the whole hygiene thing to him... or not. "What's the matter now?"

"Peter wants to talk to you."

So, the confrontation. Hiding my inner consternation, I rolled my eyes and followed him: might as well not put off the inevitable. Still, I couldn't resist a jibe.

"Don't suppose Peter could have told me that himself, Messenger Boy, could he?"

He ignored me. I entered the cave after him to find Lucy sat on the Stone Table with her knees drawn up, Susan stood placidly next to her, Amy beside Peter, evidently anxious, and poor Caspian looking extremely confused. Edmund went over to stand beside him brother, I held back a laugh at the bewildered Telmarine and squared my shoulders.

"Ed tells me you know things you shouldn't."

Resisting the urge to laugh at his rather ridiculous statement, I raised my eyebrows and waited – there was no way I was going to make this easy for him. Thrown a little by my silence, he continued.

"He says you knew we would meet Caspian before we did, and that you know when we come from, and also you somehow knew that you were in Narnia as soon as you got here."

I said nothing – he hadn't actually asked me a question yet. Clearly frustrated, Edmund now stepped forward.

"Have you ever been to Narnia before?"

"No."

"And Amy?"

I glanced at my cousin "I'd never seen her before we arrived on the beach, so I'm afraid I wouldn't know."

Peter turned to look at her "Is this true?"

Straight faced, she nodded "We're not even from the same time."

As a look of utter relief crossed Peter's face, I knew we'd done the right thing.

"Good, then." He turned back to me "Why are you here?"  
Oh God. The lie. I took a deep breath "Aslan sent me to help you beat Miraz."

Ed raised an eyebrow "And how exactly do you intend to do that? You can't even fight. If Aslan wanted to help us so much, why send you? Why not a skilled warrior, or someone from the Golden Age?"

"I may not be able to fight, but you said it yourself: I know what's going to happen before it does. I would say that's pretty useful, wouldn't you?" Yeah, Ed. Peter looked at me thoughtfully.

"Okay, we'll let this drop for the moment, but this doesn't mean we trust you.

I rolled my eyes. "Heaven forbid."

At that moment a wide-eyed, crazy-haired fawn ran in and babbled something about Miraz's army. Peter in the lead, obviously, we went out to look. The fawn was right. Minutes later, I found myself perched (Unfortunately) next to Ed, watching Peter and Caspian argue about whether or not to go attack Miraz's castle, with the occasional amusing addition from Harry Gregson-Williams' squirrel of course. Sick of their bickering, and troubled by the memory of what had happened in the film when they invaded the castle, I stood up.

"Caspian's right – you shouldn't attack the castle."

Ed argued "Why not?"

"Because, if you do, then a lot of you will die. I'd say that was a good reason, wouldn't you?" Jesus, he was annoying.

Peter stepped in "And what happens if we stay here?"

I wanted to argue, really I did. Make something up about how Aslan came roaring in and kicked Miraz's butt (although I think it would appeal more to peter's ego if he was doing the butt-kicking) but I was trying to do the right thing here. Defeated, I mumbled

"I don't know."

"Right." Peter was triumphant "Then at least you'll be some use in the castle, whereas here we'll just be hanging around until we're starved out."

Beside him, Amy was on the verge of shouting at him, but I shook my head at her urgently: she would blow her cover. If we had to go to the castle, we would find a way to save the minotaur, and all the others. Caspian, too, looked ready to argue, but Peter cut him off by outlining a plan. The next half hour or so was spent with him and Caspian arguing over this, with me giving advice, most of which they ignored. Finally, Peter said

"It's decided then, we leave as soon as the sun sets."

Everyone set off to prepare, but Peter caught Amy and I as we left, cutting off our frenzied attempts at plan making.

"I want you to stay here, Amy."

I have never in my entire life seen anything funnier than the look of outrage on my cousin's face at that moment.

"WHAT?! No way!"

"Please,"  
"No! I'm as much a part of this as you are!"

"But you can't fight. You'll get hurt."

"You're letting Kes go."

"Yes, but we need her to tell us what's going to happen. Besides, I'll have Ed keep an eye on her."

I groaned "Oh, brilliant."

They ignored me "No Peter – I'm coming with you."  
"Please." He spoke softly to her. "Lucy's staying, and lots of the others. Kerry wouldn't be coming if it wasn't for her foresight, I just..." He lowered his voice, and I turned tactfully away "I don't want you to get hurt."

Defeated but annoyed, Amy walked off and I followed, tossing Peter a frown on the way. We walked down the tunnel in silence, but stopped for me to tie my shoe laces. It was at this point that sweet, naive Caspian walked past and his eyes went very large and scared when he saw my converse – I think he was regretting blowing that horn, he'd certainly got more than he'd bargained for. I tried, once again, not to laugh. He was about to hurry off, when Amy stopped him.

"Caspian, would you do me a favour?"

"Of course"

"Good. I want you to sneak me into the castle."

And for the third time that day, I found myself holding back a laugh at the look on Caspian's face.

_**Oooh, castle. They never listen, do they? And I love Caspian, he totally rocks.**_

**_R&R?_**

**_- Kes_**


	7. Men never listen

_**Okay, this is probably the last chapter until after Easter, but who knows: I never stick to my plans. Anyway, so one hell of a lot of text in this, sorry if that's not much fun to read. **_

**_Disclaimer: If I owned Narnia, this would happen._**

_**Chapter 6: **_**Men ****never**** listen**

I swear the sun never took so long to set before. Silent, terrifies (some of us at least) we watched as the burning orange ball slipped below the horizon, and then Peter snapped into action. To my delight and horror – I was half and half – the six of us: me, Caspian, Ed, Peter and Susan, would be travelling by griffin. Caspian had made Glenstorm the centaur promise to look after Amy, who was being snook in under Peter's nose. Needless to say, the centaur was not impressed.

There is no real way of describing the journey to the castle. I was carried in the claws of a giant mythical creature towards a supposedly empty castle which would, in just a few minutes be filled with soldiers, in which a battle was about to commence between Spanish guys and fawns. In Narnia, no less. It was cold, too.

Ed and I were carried in first and dropped silently onto the roof of a watch tower. Trembling, I dropped down onto the cold stone floor and watched as Edmund began using his torch to signal the others. They landed on a stone parapet and began to make their way through the sleeping castle. I knew from what Peter had said that Ed and I were to stay in this tower, but I knew from the film that this wouldn't happen. We had a few minutes, if I remembered correctly, until everything began to go wrong, but I found my memory was fading at a worrying speed.

I tried to remember what happened, but just kept seeing that poor minotaur holding up the gate as long as he could. Clearly, I needed to find Amy and figure out how to save him. Problem was, I was stuck with a sullen Edmund, who really didn't want me here and also didn't know Amy was remotely near to the castle, let alone in it. I struggled to recall what happened to him... He was shot at! Oh, and he locked himself on a balcony, which would need to be fixed, but first he-

"Damn."

I dragged myself back to the present: Edmund had just dropped his torch. How annoying, I had been about to warn him of that. We both peered over the edge to see a Telmarine soldier almost blind himself with it. I stifled a laugh. It was only as I was following Ed down the stairs that I realised this was when everything started to go wrong. Whispering to me stay where I was, Ed launched himself at the soldier. I saw Peter, Susan and Caspian running towards the gate. Forgetting Ed's instructions, I ran to the edge of the parapet

"No! Peter!"

Peter was opening the gate, and ignored me "Ed, signal the troops!"  
"I'm a little busy, Pete."

I turned, noticing sheepishly Ed's struggle with the Telmarine, and jumped on the unfortunate soldier. This unsurprisingly succeeded in distracting him long enough for Ed to knock him out with his torch, which promptly died.

"Ed,"

He ignored me, desperately intent on making his torch work again so that he could signal the troops.

"Edmund, if you want your friends to live, please listen to me – don't signal them!"

The torch came back to life and Edmund held it triumphantly. As Telmarine soldiers filled the courtyard below, Peter yelled

"Ed!"

He looked at me "I'm sorry Kessie, I have to."

Kessie? That one was new – an altered version of my nickname, how odd. Anyway, back to the present here. "No you don't! You could still save them!"

"Peter will never run away!" He flashed the troops.

Chaos erupted.

The courtyard filled with Narnians, soldiers poured out from every archway and I saw exactly what I'd tried to prevent unfolding before my eyes. Archers, unnoticed by the fighters below, filed out of the doors to line each balcony and Edmund did a very brave thing. He jumped off the tower we were stood on, slid down the roof and kicked one of the archers off the wall: providing a warning for his brother. I caught sight of Amy by the portcullis and suddenly knew what I had to do. I flung myself clumsily off the roof, grabbed a startled Ed and dragged him through a door: just in time to avoid a hail of arrows. He looked at me, surprised, for a second, and then I was pulling him to his feet and down a promising looking staircase. Sure enough, we found ourselves in the courtyard.

"Start piling stuff." I ordered him, "Under the gateway. Any stuff you can find."

I ran over to a large stone which had fallen off the wall and tried to lift it. Suddenly, Amy was by my side, taking half of the weight, and between us we carried it over to the archway.

"Good plan."

"I know. Come on."

We dumped the rock under where the portcullis would come down, and then ran off to get another. I caught a flash of Edmund doing the same. A few minutes later, we had made two reasonable sized piles – one on each side – to about chest height, when Miraz noticed what we were doing. The portcullis came crashing down. I hadn't been looking, and it would have knocked me clean out had Ed not shoved me aside at the last moment. Still, it took a pretty impressive chunk out of my shoulder. We waited with baited breath for the piles to crumble, but they held fast.

"Fall back!" Peter called, at the exact same moment Amy, Ed and I found ourselves the targets f around fifty Telmarne arrows. We followed Peter's advice.

As we ran across the drawbridge, Peter rode past us and swept Amy up onto his horse. He did _not_ look impressed to find her there, but whatever, nothing could ruin my elation: we had saved them! To my left, Ed clutched the torch he would've left behind, and to my right ran the minotaur who would've left something entirely more valuable behind: his life.

**_YEY! Go us! We saved the minotaur! That scene has haunted my cousin and I since we first saw it in the cinema: we always hated it, and now it's gone. :D_**

**_R&R?_**

**_- Kes_**


	8. The innocence of sin

_**Hello! Likely the last chapter for at least a week, so enjoy. There's a nice lot of Edmund angst, too. :) **_

**_Disclaimer: My initials are KET, not CSL. _**

_**Chapter 7: **_**The innocence of sin**

We trotted, walked and flew back to Aslan's How, in varying states of mind. Peter was clearly furious, Caspian brooding, Amy and I elated by our unorthodox rescue and Ed unreadable. Why couldn't he be as obvious as his brother? The answer was at once clear; his subtlety was what made him Ed (and it added to his charm, of course) Still, it was hardly convenient.

As we reached the entrance to the How, I remembered the film argument between Peter and Caspian. That wasn't going to happen though: we had saved the Narnians, what was there to argue about?

"You brought her." This was Peter – spoke too soon apparently.

"What?" Caspian looked mildly affronted

"Against my express orders, you brought an unarmed girl to a battle!!"

Ah. That. Amy tried to interrupt, but Peter ignored her, evidently furious.

"What were you _thinking_?! Or weren't you?"

"I wasn't under the impression that I had to follow your orders!"

"Well clearly we need to correct that."

"Hey! This is my army. You abandoned Narnia!"

"No, these are Narnians, you're a Telmarine. You invaded Narnia: you're the one who created this problem in the first place. Why didn't you just do what I said? You called us here."

"My first mistake."

"No, your first mistake was thinking you could actually lead these people." Caspian pushed past him towards the How, but Peter continued "You, your father – you're all the same."

Ouch. With a furious cry, Caspian turned back to him, pulling his sword out of his scabbard.

"Stop!" I turned to see Ed's angry face "Look, if Amy hadn't have been there then half of us would be dead now! There's no way Kessie and I would have piled up enough stuff on our own. You should be thanking Amy, not yelling at Caspian!"

"And take your leadership issues somewhere else." I added "Some of us are bleeding here."

They all looked at me in shock, and Ed seemed to noticed my bleeding shoulder (which had a nice chip taken out of it, by the way) for the first time.

"Your shoulder!"

I rolled my eyes "For God's sake, I'm not dying. I just need someone to bandage it for me – I can't reach."  
Amy came over to my side "That's gotta hurt."

"Thanks," I shot her a sardonic look "'Cos I hadn't figured that out on my own."

Caspian had stalked off, Peter was nursing his wounded ego, and Amy and Ed practically dragged me into the How.

"Look guys, I'm seriously okay, it just needs bandaging."

"I dunno." Ed looked dubious "You've lost a lot of blood by the looks of it."

Amy agreed and sent him off to get a bowl of clean water, some herbs and (finally) some bandages. We sat in silence for a minute and then I said quietly

"It's only a flesh wound."

"I know, it's not that. It's the fact that it could've been so much more. What if one of those arrows had hit us?"  
"Well..." I had no answer for that.

"And there's that other battle too. Kes.... we could _die_ here."

Edmund found rather a morose pair when he returned. Being the only one with any medical knowledge whatsoever, (I had failed Biology - a bi-product of having a crazy teacher) he was elected to see to my shoulder. He and Amy helped me out of the makeshift armour Caspian had dumped on me before the battle, and then she made an annoyingly tactful retreat, saying she was off to see if Peter had stopped fuming yet. Hence I found myself, once again, left alone with Ed.

The portcullis had torn the fabric of my dress as it caught my shoulder, which was a pity as it was a very nice dress, but it did at least provide a convenient hole for Ed to get to my cut.

"I always wanted to be a doctor." He told me cheerfully, as he applied a wet cloth to my shoulder, eliciting a yell from me, and I can tell you: it freaking well hurt.

"Sorry."

"You're taking way too much pleasure in this." I accused him indignantly.

He continued silently clearing dirt from the grand canyon in my shoulder for a while, and then blurted out

"I owe you an apology"

I blinked "What for?"

"For the way I treated you earlier – it was rude."

"Yeah, well. It's not your fault you're such a pompous ass."

He hesitated, unsure, then realised I was joking (sort of) and let out a tentative laugh.

"I really am sorry, though."

"I know, I forgive you. I mean, after all, I did push you down a hill." We laughed easily and I knew everything would be alright.

"It seems we're always apologising to each other."

He nodded his agreement "And when we're not, we're doing something to warrant an apology later on."

"OW!"

I watched in surprise as he held up a thumb sized piece of portcullis which had, until that moment, been stuck in my shoulder.

"Oh my God."

"Just a flesh wound, huh?"

"Ugh."  
"You look green."

"I _feel_ green."

"Y'know, when I was a kid, I always wanted to be a piece of broccoli when I grew up."

I stared at him for a moment, and then burst out laughing at the absurdity of his exclamation.

"_Why_?"

He smiled, secure in the knowledge that he had successfully distracted me from the pain in my shoulder, and proceeded to bandage it.

"I don't know, guess I just really liked broccoli."

I started laughing again, and then all of a sudden O wasn't laughing any more, but crying.

"Hey," He tied the bandage on my shoulder and then turned my face so I was looking at him "Why are you crying?"

"I don't know!" I sobbed pathetically

"Must be the shock." He decided quietly, and then, to my delight, he hugged me.

I swear my heart actually stopped. I was so confused – like 10 minutes ago I'd hated him, and now I was freaking because he'd hugged me. Stupid hormones. Amy came back in and stopped, surprised but smiling, until she saw the tear tracks on my cheeks.

"What did you do to her?!"

Gees. Overprotective much? Still, it felt nice to have someone looking out for me, even if she did insist upon bullying poor Ed. Said Edmund pulled away very quickly, and I was embarrassed and amused to see a blush colouring his cheeks.

"Uh, Amy... Um. She started crying."

"Shock." I added helpfully.

"Yeah, um... so I um... hugged her."

An awkward silence stretched through the mini cave, and my cousin's smirk was a mile wide. Peter wandered in suddenly and, rather nonchalantly, wrapped an arm round Amy's waist. Ed and I exchanged our own smirks, and this time it was Amy's turn to blush. Peter looked from Amy's crimson cheeks to my tear-stained one and frowned.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing" said Ed, just a little too quickly, and Peter raised an eyebrow.

"Right..."

Ed was just about to answer, probably indignantly, when we heard a shout echo through the How. As one (my reflexes had got one hell of a lot better) we set off toward the sound, running surprisingly quickly for four people who'd just spent all night invading a castle. We ran round a corner, me skidding of course, and into the cave housing the Stone Table. There stood Caspian, hand outstretched to a woman floating in a pane of ice, whom I knew from memory to be the White Witch.

Amy and I exchanged a look as we recognised the scene, and Lucy and Trumpkin appeared suddenly beside us. By this time Peter had thrown himself at Caspian and pushed him out of the circle. The rest of us charge into the room. Ed tackled the horrible and terrifying werewolf, Lucy and Trumpkin Nikabrik, and Amy and I jumped – literally – on the hag. After all, it wasn't as if we had swords. Luckily for us, the combined weight of two teenagers succeeded in knocking the hag over, and we promptly proceeded to sit on her.

Across the cave, Ed performed a majorly impressive stunt which ended with a dead werewolf and chuffed Edmund, and Nikabrik fell to the floor dead at Trumpkin's feet. Suddenly, the hag rose up with surprising force and threw us off, but didn't get very far because one of Susan's arrows hit her square in the hed. As she crumpled we turned to see Susan, who had just arrived, standing in the doorway.

I whirled to look for Ed, and saw how dangerously close Peter was to the White Witch. I squeaked laughably, and Amy started towards him, but all of a sudden the witch screamed and shattered into a thousand pieces. Well, that was unexpected. A dark faced Ed was now revealed, holding his sword above his head.

"I know" he told his rather shell-shocked brother "You had it covered." Then he stalked away.

Unsure, I glanced at Amy, who nodded, so I followed him out of the cave. He didn't stop until he was outside, on a ledge which overlooked the filed in front of the How. I stopped just short of the archway, unsure whether or not he would welcome my company.

"That brought back a lot of bad memories." He confided suddenly, turning so as to look me straight in the eye. I stepped out onto the ledge to stand beside him.

"Of the White Witch?"

"Of who I was... who I am."

"Ed-"

"You're going to tell me I'm not like that anymore." I hesitated and he continued darkly "I'm not going to ask how you know what I was."

"But the point is that I _do_ know, and what you were is young."

"I was old enough to know the difference between right and wrong."

"You were mislead."

"Stop making excuses!" Silence. "I always used to think-" he paused and took a deep breath "I always used to think 'Edmund the Just' didn't mean 'fair' or anything like that, it meant 'only'. Like 'Just Edmund'."

He turned huge, pain-filled dark eyes on me, and my heart broke for him. This had clearly been eating away at him for some time. Aslan knows how long.

"You're not 'Just Edmund'. You could never be 'Just Edmund'."

He turned away from me quickly, shame burning away at his irises and, surprised at my own courage, I reached out to touch his shoulder, regaining his attention onc more.

"Will the Narnians think you're 'Just Edmund' when you win them back their country?"

"This is Peter and Caspian's army."

"Peter and Caspian who just nearly gave into the White Witch." No answer, so I continued more gently "We all have our weaknesses, Ed. Even kings are allowed to make mistakes sometimes."

He turned to me then, sincerity making his face achingly beautiful.

"Thank you."

The words glowed, hung shining in the air between us like a star, burning and glorious. I forgot how to speak. I don't know how long we stood there, separated by vast oceans of nothingness and gleaming chasms of space, emotions flapping round us with terrible wings. I only know that I'll never forget it.

Then, the thumping beats of my heart were replaced by another sound, so distant it was almost an echo of a sound. We turned as one towards it and were met by a chilling sight. Hundreds, no, _thousands _of Telmarine soldiers were marching in a solid mass straight towards us. I froze, the horrors of the battle coming back to me in a rush, like stills from an old film.

"Ed..." He was already running

"We need to tell Peter."

Together we raced through the caves, me blindly following Ed –I couldn't see through my panic. Those men out there had been real. Tomorrow they would kill and be killed. I suddenly wanted very much to go home. Predictably, I tripped over a rock and went flying, landing flat on my face. Ed stopped and was at my side in an instant, silently helping me to my feet.

"We'll be alright." He told me "I promise." But he avoided my gaze, and I knew it wasn't a promise he could keep.

We carried on down the corridor, moving with equal urgency, until we heard voice,

"...just wish he's given me some proof." Peter's voice echoed morosely.

"Maybe," that was Amy "Maybe he needs proof from you."  
At that moment Ed and I burst into the cave and Amy released Peter's hand, blushing profusely.

"Pete, you'd better come and see this."

We led them out onto the ledge, below which death was waiting with eager swords.

**_Ooooh dramatic. Whatever, I take drama for a reason. _**

**_R&R?_**

**_- Kes_**

**_P.S. Yes! Germany day-after-tomorrow. _**


	9. Just in case

_**Yey, I have finally got round to typing this up! You will (hopefulyl0 be pleased to know that I have now officially finished writing this story, so now all I ahve to do is type it up. Unfortunately, it's 337 pages long. Anyway, only 9 more chapters to go...**_

**_Disclaimer: All I own is my brain, and that's not much to be proud of. :S_**

_**Chapter 8: **_**Just in case**

"_This_ is your plan? Sending a little girl into a dark forest on her own?!"

Peter shook his head at Trumpkin disparagingly, frowning as he thought some other problem through, and Susan took it upon herself to defend her brother.

"She won't be alone."

Trumpkin turned his imploring gaze on Lucy "Haven't.. enough of us died already?"

Next to me, Trufflehunter spoke up softly "Nikabrik was my friend too, but someone needs to find Aslan."

"Then I'm coming with you."

On my other side, Ed opened his mouth to say something, evidently to argue, but Peter beat him to it.

"You're needed here. We'll have to distract the Telmarines long enough to give the girls time to find Aslan."

Caspian stood up "I- I might have an idea. He may be a tyrant but, as king, Miraz is subject to the demands and expectations of his people."

I realised with a sigh what he was suggesting – Peter's fight with Miraz. I tuned out for the rest of the discussion, filtering through my memories of the next few scenes. After a minute or so, I became aware that the room had cleared: that was one hell of a deep thought trail. I settled myself down behind a thick column to think. First it was Peter's mini-heroic battle... no, first Ed went off to Miraz's camp, then Caspian sent Lu and Susan off, then It was Peter's fight scene. Then, halfway through, Caspian and Susan came back, then the Telmarines cheated and there was a massive battle... where would I be during all of this? I would really have to speak to Ed about some sword fighting lessons or something.

Suddenly there were footsteps, then two people (from the sound of it) entered the cave. I was about to stand up and greet whoever it was when I heard my cousin's voice, and her tone made me hesitate – she sounded _mad_. Uh oh.

"This isn't what Caspian meant! He meant he should fight Miraz, not you."

"You know I can't let him do that." It was Peter of course, who else? "If he died fighting Miraz then who would be king?"

"And what if you die fighting Miraz?!" She was close to tears, that much I could hear in her voice.

"Then I will have done what I can to help the Narnians."  
"Look, I know you want to save them, but isn't there another way?"  
"No!" We have to give Sue and Lucy enough to time get to Aslan."  
"Well, can't we just... challenge them to a game of football or something?"

Peter laughed, and I decided I probably ought to leave about now – eavesdropping and all that. Unfortunately, when I leant out from behind my column, I was met with the sight of Peter tenderly wiping the tears from my cousin's face, a sad smile tugging at his lips. I ducked back behind the column, not wanting to ruin the moment, and resolved to put my hands over my ears.

"Look," from my restricted view point I saw him reach out and take her hands "I have to do this. Do you understand?" She nodded and he continued more softly "I just want you to know, if I don't make it-"

"You _will_!"

"If I don't, I just want you to know that the last couple of days have been the best of my life."

Sobbing, my cousin threw herself into Peter's arms, clinging onto him like she'd never let go. Then, to my great surprise and embarrassment, she leaned up and, very deliberately, kissed him.

I waited silently behind my column until the two of them left, then slipped out, not sure whether to laugh or cry. This thing between Peter and Amy was more than just a crush, that much was obvious, but in a few hours the battle would be over and then, and then... the door in the air.

My spirits somewhat dampened, I made my way through Aslan's How, found and empty room and dropped to the fall, leaning my head back against the cool wall and trying to relieve myself of the thumping headache over my left temple. After a while I heard footsteps, and then someone sat down silently beside me. Convinced it was Amy, come to tell me about her and Peter, I dropped my head down to rest on her shoulder, eyes still closed. Imagine my surprise when I found myself leaning not on the soft rounded shoulder of my cousin, but on a bony, uncomfortable shoulder: Ed! I sat up quickly, colouring, and my headache worsened.

"Sorry, I thought you were Amy."

He smiled down at me "I'm not sure whether that's a compliment or not."

"It is – she's a lot prettier than you."

"Well, I would be pretty worried if people went around calling me pretty..."

"Oh, shut up." A moment of silence, then I blurted out

"Will you teach me to fight, Ed?"

"What? Now?"

I nodded, remembering that he'd just have got back from Miraz's camp and that we'd now have an hour or so before Peter's fight.

"Why/ You're not fighting."

Fire crept into his eyes as he said it, and I opened my mouth to argue before thinking better of it – it probably wasn't the best way of getting what I wanted, namely fighting lessons. So instead I smiled sweetly and said

"Oh, I know that. It's just in case. I mean, you wouldn't want me to end up on the battlefield unable to protect myself, would you?"

"You won't be on the battlefield." He growled, but I could see I'd won the argument.

So it was that I found myself holding a dangerously long sword and facing Ed, who was holding an even more dangerously longer one.

"It's... awfully sharp." I noted nervously, and he rolled his eyes.

"Well it wouldn't be much use if it was blunt, would it?"

"Ha ha."

I gestured to him with my sword for emphasis, and it swung wildly. He stepped back a few paces, looking a little worried, and I grinned.

"See, I'm a natural: we haven't even started yet and I'm already winning."

"You're incorrigible."

A few minutes later we were well under way and it was, unsurprisingly, not going well.

"Okay, now raise the sword above your head and bring it down."

I raised, swung... and dropped the sword loudly.

"Oops."

He sighed "I'm not sure that'll be very helpful against a Telmarine soldier."

"It _would_ surprise them."

He laughed "Okay, let's try something different. "

I turned out to be no more competent at sparring – he had his sword at my throat three times in as many minutes, and my aim when 'attacking'... just don't ask. Still, after about an hour I did at least know which way round to hold a sword. As much as I doubted that this would help me in any way, it did make me feel a little better. Then Peter came in looking grim, a panicking Amy by his side, and my good feeling vanished before you could say 'freak out'. I handed my sword back to Ed, but he waved it away.

"Keep it... Just in case."

"It's time." Said Peter quietly, and I decided that this would probably not be a good time to say 'duh'

My cousin and I began to follow him and Ed out of the cave towards the awaiting field, eager to have this over with, but Peter turned suddenly to Amy as if he'd just lost an argument with himself.

"I want you to stay here."

"What?! No! _Why_?!"

"You can go to the ledge with the others. I don't expect Miraz will keep his word and I don't want you getting hurt."

She went to argue again, looking frankly furious, but I cut her off, reluctantly seeing sense in Peter's words. The Telmarines _didn't_ keep their word and, though I now had a sword, I wasn't exactly an expert swordsman- make that swordswoman.

"He's got a point Amt, come on."

She opened her mouth to retort, looking irritated that I was ganging up on her with Peter of all people, but suddenly turned and hugged Peter instead.

"If you die, I'm going to kill you."

Peter laughed, but there was something in his eyes I hadn't seen before, a sort of softness and steel at the same time. I was glad I knew that outcome of the fight, and the battle for that matter. Still, the future ain't set in stone, so I turned to Ed.

"That goes for you, too."

"So long as you don't use your excessive swordfighting skills to do it."

I smiled, but it was forced and we both knew it. I turned away to head up the winding stairs, but turned back at the last moment and, following my cousin's example, hugged him tightly.

"Just in case." It was a whisper, but he heard it.

I prised Amy off of Peter, who seemed just as reluctant to let go, then stumbled back up the stairs with a mock cheerful wave to them both. Leaning on my shoulder, Amy was inconsolable.

"Hey, it's alright. He'll be fine, remember?"

She turned to me, wide eyes, and shook her head "That's just it, I _don't_ remember."

I stopped "You... you really don't?"

"No." She looked pretty scared "I don't remember anything about the film. Not even what happens to Peter."  
We reached the ledge and I sat her down in between some fauns, looking out across the waiting battlefield. She didn't remember _anything_? Why not? Why did I? Was I dreaming – no, forget that, I couldn't be. Surely I couldn't. Could I? But then... I gave up on my tangled thoughts and focused instead on the scene below me. Peter was coming out of the How, a pale looking Ed by his side. Amy was stood next to me now, and I squeezed her hand silently. Peter made his way towards Miraz, and they exchanged some words. Then, he charged.

Beside me, Amy tensed up, and I turned to look at her. As I did, my eye was caught by a solitary horse charging at full speed through the trees - Susan and Lucy. But where was Caspian? It couldn't be more than a couple of minutes later that he followed them. I waited, waited, waited.... nothing. I looked at Amy, then at the fight which was now well under way, and then back at the empty forest.

"I'm sorry, Amy."

I turned and ran down the stairs, and crashed straight into Caspian.

"Caspian! You have to go now! They've gone and you're supposed to follow them, only you haven't and if you don't then they'll die and you're supposed to have gone by now, and- what are you doing? Why haven't you gone?! GO!"

"What?" He took my shoulders gently "Please slow down."

"They're in danger!"

"Who is?"

"Susan and Lucy!"

A strange look came over his face, and then he was gone. I ran back up to the ledge in time to see him galloping off into the forest. Relieved, I went back to stand beside my cousin. Evidently, leaving her had not been a good idea – she was practically hyperventilating.

"Amy! Amy, it's going to be okay!" I turned back just in time to see Peter slip.

"NO!"

I jumped about a foot in the air and looked at my cousin, unaware that she could even talk that loudly. Unfortunately, down below Peter turned to look too, and that was when Miraz struck. Peter fell.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

**_Yep, another cliffhanger. Don't hate me too much. Wow, I hate that ending though, it's so... excessive._**

**_R&R?_**

**_-Kes _**


	10. Anthem for doomed youth

_**Okay, I kinda took poetic license with this one. I know Ed and Pete don't have horses in the film, but I needed them to. So... yeah. Also, my mum cried when she read this, don't know why. o.O (Btw, go me! Quick updates!)**_

**_Disclaimer: I _wish _I owned Narnia._**

_**Chapter 9: **_**Anthem for doomed youth**

"PETER!" came the cries, both from Amy and Ed, who was on the field below.

I stared at the fight in disbelief. Amy had unwittingly changed the events, meaning that this fight was no longer following the path it had in the film. I had forgotten that Amy and had added two new factors to the mix. What if Peter died?! What if _Ed_ died?! My fists were clenched as I watched the scene unfold. Peter had slipped, regained his footing and turned to look at Amy when Miraz, like the coward he was, had charged at Peter's turned back and struck him a dizzying blow. Peter dropped to his knees and a collection panic ran through the Narnians. Was he wounded? Dead?

Ed was on the verge of leaping into the fight himself when suddenly Peter sprang to his feet and swung his sword round to catch Miraz in the leg. This time it was Miraz who fell. It was at this moment that Caspian came riding out of the trees, Susan clasping tightly onto his waist, he stopped when he saw the battle. From his knees, Miraz begged

"Respite!"

Peter had his sword raised above his head, ready to deal the fatal blow, but now he hesitated.

"Now's not the time for chivalry, Pete." Ed called, but it was too late.

Peter lowered his sword and turned around, walking back to Ed. But this was the same as the film, I remembered suddenly, and called

"Watch out!"

Hearing my warning, he turned just in time to dodge Miraz's raised sword. In an incredible few seconds, he grabbed the end of it and turned it on Miraz, stabbing him straight in the heart. The Telmarine king dropped to the ground and was dead before he hit it.

There was a moment of shocked silence, and then Amy cheered. The Narnians erupted. Ed ran forward to clap Peter on the back and the Bulgy Bear stopped sucking his paws long enough to yell 'yeah!' Then came the cry my subconscious had been dreading.

"Treachery! They shot 'im!"

Sopespian had run over to Miraz's body and was now holding up what was unmistakeably one of Susan's arrows.

"Get ready!"

The Telmarines rode back to their army and Caspian ran for his horse, which he had left with Susan at the edge of the forest. I tried to put my memories of the battle scene in order: ground collapsing, Caspian's surrounding trick, the ordered retreat, Susan falling off the ledge – only Susan was on the ground with Caspian, Peter and Ed. And a lot of stuff had already been changed, would there be more? I looked grimly at the approaching Telmarines and swallowed hard. Narnia is a lot less friendly when you're not certain of a happy ending.

One minute there had been elation, and now there was panic. The fauns surrounding Amy and I jostled and whispered, and the Narnians on the ground looked just about ready to run for it. It shifted my weight onto my back foot and looked at Ed. Imagine my surprise when I found myself looking not, as I had expected, at the back of his head, but straight into his dark eyes. Blushing, I shot him a thumbs-up. Inappropriate, I know, but whatever. I turned away from him reluctantly to look at Amy, who seemed to be having a silent conversation with Peter.

"This is it."

She tore her gaze from him to look at me "What happens if we die?"

I couldn't bring myself to look at her as I whispered "I don't know."

She hugged me suddenly, very tightly, and I knew she was just as terrified as I was. We clung together, trying to stay strong against a sea of murderous soldiers. I'd never seen a war before.

"Whatever happens," I told her quietly "Whatever happens you're the only person I'd want to share this with."

"You too."

We turned to look down at the battlefield. The Telmarine cavalry was so close now, I gripped my sword tightly in my hand and watched, waited. Then the ground beneath our foes collapsed. There was panic amongst the soldiers as the fell into a gaping hole which had seemingly appeared from nowhere. Then the fauns behind us let lose a hail of arrows. Just as the cavalry began to recover from this, Caspian led two lots of Narnians up underground ramps to surround them.

Everything seemed to be going so well, but then I remembered the rest of the army, and I wasn't the only one. It was futile, hopeless, the Narnians were dropping like flies. Lines of Telmarine soldiers waited to step forward and take the place of those who'd fallen. Death was everywhere, and I had to hold back my nausea. I saw Reepicheep, Glenstorm, the minotaur all leap bravely but suicidally into the Telmarine ranks, attempting to break the impenetrable mass of death machines.

"Back to the How!"

It was Peter, but it was too late. The Telmarines had realised the plan: a rock came hurtling straight towards us. It was only then that I realised Amy and I were stood exactly where Susan had been in the film. Then the ground collapsed beneath my feet.

I screamed, and this caught Peter's attention. He saw what was happening, turned and rode straight to us, arriving just in time to catch my cousin. I wasn't so lucky, and landed on my ass. It hurt, too. Amy just had enough time to check I was alright before Peter had ridden off to do some more heroic stuff, her trying futilely to get him to turn back and pick me up, too.

I struggled to my feet, turned to look for my sword (always handy in a battle) and caught sight of the angry Telmarine running straight for me. I didn't have time to scream: he was there, sword raised, and I could almost feel it cutting right through me like that scene in Star Wars. And then he fell to the ground, stone dead, to reveal a very white Ed on a horse.

"Need a lift?" He asked with a grin and, had he not just saved my life, I might well have hit him – hard.

I looked around for my sword and found it lying conveniently a few yards away. I picked it up, then too Ed's proffered hand and allowed him to pull me up onto his horse. He rode off, and I clung onto him tightly – I'd had a phobia of horses ever since I'd been thrown over a gate by one at the age of six. I had been holding my sword by my side, and this worked out surprisingly well: Ed steered and fired arrows, show off, while unwitting Telmarines ran into my sword. I tried to push down the violently sick feeling that I was actually killing people. Me, green peace activist. I reasoned weakly that it didn't count in Narnia. But we were losing, and we knew it. Ed turned to look at me suddenly.

"I want you to go."

"What?"

"Take your cousin and run while you still can."

"I-" hold on, what? "You know Amy's my cousin?!"

"I heard you talking."

"Oh..." Because really, what can you say to that?

He slid off the damned horse, leaving me hanging on for dear life "Go, now."

"Ed, we both know that's not gonna happen."

"Please."

Then, before I could answer, he was gone. He ran to his brother's side, Susan and Caspian next to them, and charged. I forced myself to turn away and look for Amy, who was apparently no longer with Peter. After a minute or so I found her, looking as bewildered as I was, similarly seated awkwardly on a horse. When were the Pevensies going to learn that not everyone can ride? Instead of attempting to direct my very large horse over to her, I jumped (fell) off it and ran in her general direction. She saw what I was doing and did the same, but then we were both running around, her without a sword, me doing more damage to myself with it than other people, searching between hundreds of soldiers. Then, the trees came to life.

As one, the Telmarines ran. I turned and watched with satisfaction as Ed, Peter, Caspian and Susan drove them back to the river. I knew what would be waiting there. Relieved that it was over, I turned back to the now empty battlefield, just in time to see a Telmarine soldier stick his sword into my cousin.

I saw red. Blinded by rage, panic and disbelief, I charge at the soldier, sword raised above my head, a furious scream catching in my throat. I swung the sword wildly at the man who'd dared to go near my cousin, catching him straight in the chest. He sunk to the ground with a strangled cry. I didn't check to see if he was dead, I was already knelt by Amy. She was fading, and fast.

"No!" I sobbed "No, no, no!"

She looked up at me, struggling for breath "Tell- tell Peter..." she coughed and I held back another sob. "Tell Peter I..." she couldn't continue.

"Shh," I tried to say it calmly, but she saw through it. "I'll go get help."

"No!" she reached out and grabbed my hand "Don't... leave... me."

"But I can save you! Lucy's potion-"

"No time." She coughed "Thank you... for... everything."

Suddenly there were footsteps behind me, then someone dropped to their knees in the blood stained grass, pushing forward to take Amy's hand. It was Peter.

"Amy! No, Amy! Please don't leave me!"

She smiled at him weakly, looked at me, and then she was gone.

**_OMG! I jsut killed my cousin off! Oops... *looks around sheepishly*_**

**_R&R?_**

**_-Kes_**


	11. Love's not time's fool

_**Be proud of me! Despite having a tone of revision which I really should be doing instead, and this being the longest chapter, I have typed it up all in one go! Your fabulous reviews inspired me. :)**_

**_Disclaimer: Me no own. _**

_**Chapter 10: Love's not time's fool**_

I stared numbly at the dead body of my best friend. Beside me, Peter was totally freaking. He let out a howl of grief that would've given a werewolf a run for its money, and it chilled me to the bone.

"No!"

Tears were streaming unchecked down my cheeks, sobs shaking me violently, and my nose was running. There was no poetry to comfort me, no verse which I could call upon now, just a hollow feeling inside and a horrifically dull ache which told me this was real. I couldn't comprehend it. I just couldn't. Amy was dead. Peter was having trouble too, leaning forward to take Amy's shoulders.

"Wake up! Get up! You have to get up! You can't leave me, not now! Get up!"

Suddenly there were footsteps, and then Lucy pushed between us with a hurried "Aslan sent me.", holding out her potion like it was the Holy Grail and, at that moment, it might well have been. I didn't dare hope as she poured the magical liquid into Amy's mouth.

Silence.

Nothing.

Endless seconds passed.

And then – Amy coughed! Peter let out a tremendous sob, and I was laughing through my tears as Amy sat, gingerly, and looked at us.

"I died." She said numbly, but said no more, because Peter was kissing her like there was no tomorrow.

A few minutes later, the four of us returned to the others, who were shepherding the Telmarines across the river. Sopespian, I noted, was gone. Ed came running over and touched my still wet cheek, holding out one of my tears on his index finger.

"What happened?"

"Amy died."

"What?!" He looked at my cousin, and then back at me in confusion.

"Peter and Lucy got there just in time."

I managed a smile, and then he grinned like he'd just remembered some fabulously exciting thing and, to my immense surprise, took my hand and bean leading me across the river, behind Peter and Amy.

"There's someone I want you to meet." And then I was looking straight at Aslan, and man was he BIG.

"Welcome, Sons of Adam, Daughters of Eve."

We all, to my great amusement, bowed.

"I must thank you, Kerry and Amy."

Ugh, he used my full name, and he really sounded like Liam Neeson! Wait, what did he just say?

"What – us? Why?"

"You have done what I sent you here to do: many are alive because of your bravery. If there is something you want which it is in my power to give, then I shall not hesitate to do so."

Amy spoke up shyly "Can I stay? Here, I mean, in Narnia."

I swear Peter was actually glowing.

"Although this is not your world, you have made a home of it, and for that you shall stay as long as you are loved and wanted here."

Amy coloured, evidently thinking of the last part, and glanced at Peter. Aslan turned to me, about to ask the same question (for which I would have no answer: what did I want? World Peace?) when Peter, seized by a sudden notion, stepped forward.

"Aslan, there is something I would like very much, if I may."

The very very large lion looked at him with a kind smile, as though he already knew what he was going to ask for. Actually, scratch that, he probably did. That made one of us, then. Peter turned to Amy, and I blinked. Surely he wasn't – oh my god! He was! I felt like fangirl squealing, but luckily managed to stop myself as he got down on one knee and took hold of Amy's hand. She had gone a brilliant shade of red, and couldn't keep the smile off of her face.

"Amy, I've never felt this was about anyone in my whole life. I know we've only known each others for a few weeks, but I feel like I've known you forever. And I know we're very young, but I'll wait, I promise I'll wait – for as long as you like. I just, I just want to know that you're mine. So... will you marry me?"

Where were the crimson roses that should have been falling down around them? Where were the violins? You know what? They didn't need them: Amy's face said it all. Speechless, she nodded, tears of joy (hopefully) streaming down her cheeks, and threw herself into Peter's arms. I didn't realise I was crying too until Ed squeezed my hand gently. Aslan chuckled.

"Very well. It seems that even time cannot hold back this love."

I remembered quoting Shakespeare to Ed what seemed so very long ago, and smiled.

"Love's not time's fool."

We had all turned to go, me bringing up the rear, when Aslan said quietly

"And you, dear one? Is there nothing you would like?"

I shrugged, not really thinking about it "I just want to be a good person."

"To be good?" He looked vaguely sad, I thought but then, he was a lion, who knows? "The sacrifices will cost you dearly, they will be hard to bear."

"Aren't they always?" I left, and didn't think any more of it.

We arrived at Caspian's castle later that day, triumphant and happy, Peter refusing to leave the side of his bride-to-be for even a second, and Amy, well, she was simply radiant.

"We'll hold a ball." Announced Caspian as soon as we'd entered the hall "Tonight, in honour of High King Peter and his future wife Amy."

"A ball!" I turned to Ed, delighted "I've never been to a ball before!"

"Then you're in for a treat." He promised, dark eyes sparkling.

"Surely you don't dance?" I teased, but he just smiled.

I was lead away, along with Amy, by an eager Telmarine girl, who was to show us our room. I beamed at Amy, who grinned ecstatically back. She didn't walk down that hallway, she _bounced_ down it. It didn't matter that she was only 15, it didn't matter that Peter was from 1939, it didn't even matter that she'd only known him for a few weeks. Love, as Edmund pointed out, makes you more aware. Aware, that is, of how totally irrelevant everything else is: as long as you love them, nothing else matters. And Amy and Peter did love each other.

The Telmarine girl who, when I asked, informed us shyly that her name was Yolanda, showed us to a door and then left, saying she would return to tell us when the ball was to be. We walked in to find a beautiful room, light and airy with huge windows looking out over the cliffs. In the room was a desk, a huge chest and two immense four poster beds, hung with thick material, one in blue, one in red. I sat down on the blue one, which was nearer the windows, and looked at Amy for a long time. Then we were both giggling like the teenagers we were, tossing "I can't believe it"s and "Oh my God"s all over the place.

I shall never forget my first Narnian ball. Although the preparations were very rushed, it was to be that evening after all, there was so much goodwill flying around that we wouldn't even have needed music. There was music though, lots and lots of it, and oh, the dancing! Amy and I had discovered that the large trunk in our room was, to our delight, full of gorgeous dressed. After around half an hour of marvelling at them I general, we each selected one. Amy's was fabulous, huge and flowing with gem stones stitched generously into the dusky pink bodice. Not wanting to steal her thunder – this was her night after all – I chose a more subtle dress, a misty grey number which hung straight as opposed to having a huge puffy skirt. It was then that Yolanda returned to tell us that the ball would be in one hour.

Peter was, of course, to escort Amy but I was rather surprised when Ed turned up as well, offering me his arm with a smile.

"May I escort you my lady?" His eyes were laughing.

"Why you may, good sir."

And sure enough, he did. We walked down the corridors in a comfortable silence, dropping back to give Peter and Amy some privacy. I was watching Ed, who seemed to be mentally struggling with something, in bemusement, when he turned to me suddenly and blurted

"You look very pretty."

"Oh!" I blinked, and looked away, feeling my face go bright red. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He mumbled, equally crimson, and a voice boomed from ahead

"High King Peter and his bride-to-be Lady Amy."

"Oh God." I groaned "_Why_ is there an announcer?!"

Ed laughed, previous embarrassment forgotten. "Why not?"

"I hate people staring at me – I do stupid things like fall over and walk into things when they do! Oh no, hide me!" We were drawing close to the doors, which now seemed extremely daunting to my accident prone self "Can't we sneak in 'round the back or something?!"

He stopped, pulling me to a halt as well. "You really want to sneak in?"

I stared "Why? You got an invisibility cloak hidden up your sleeve or something?"

He dimpled "Or something." And then dragged me off in the opposite direction from the ball. We rounded a corner, me stifling giggles, and suddenly he ground to a halt, causing me, of course, to run into him.

"Ouch."  
"Sorry."

Grinning, he pulled me behind a tapestry depicting several burly looking Telmarines chopping up unfortunate Narnians ("Caspian's having them all burnt tomorrow") and into a black passage.

"Wow! A secret passageway! Cool!"

"I know! I found it earlier when I went exploring."

Mock offended, I put my hands on my hips "You went exploring without me?!" We were in the passage by now, so I couldn't see his face, but I could hear the grin in his voice.

"I'm very sorry. It won't happen again."

I sniffed "It better not."

We could hear music now, Narnian music, lilting and lovely, played on Narnian flutes and harps. We came to a wall which, had Ed not been in front, I would have walked into, and I waited as he pressed down on a brick.

"7 along, 3 down." And then we were in the ball room.

No one noticed our rather unorthodox entrance: all eyes were fixed on the couple dancing alone in the centre of the room. The music had grown soft and wistful, kind of a Narnian Claire de Lune, as Amy and Peter swayed under the light of a thousand candles. In front of me, a female centaur sighed contentedly and to Ed's right a faun whispered

"He couldn't have chosen a more perfect bride."

I looked at my cousin: her glowing cheeks, the way she was looking at Peter, and couldn't help but agree. The dance finished with a flourished and the hall erupted into raucous applause as the fauns struck up a lively Valse des Fleurs like tune. Everyone flocked onto the gleaming flow. I caught a flash of Caspian and Susan, Amy and Peter, Luc and Trumpkin (who were well matched in height), Narnians and Telmarine all mixed together. I felt my feet begin to tap.

"Do you want to dance?"

I turned to Ed in amazement "Me? Dance?"

"Why not? I thought you liked dancing."

I wondered vaguely how he knew that. "I do, but half of Narnia has suffered severely since my clumsiness and I arrived, I think I've done enough damage, don't you?"

"Nope. Come on!" And, before I could even attempt to form a protest, he had dragged me onto the dance floor.

I found myself being twirled in between the dancers, laughing at the surprising adrenaline rush it brought: I was dancing! I wasn't clumsy anymore, I was just another dancer! No one had ever asked me to dance before. I looked up into Ed's shining face and realised with a jolt that I'd never been happier than I was at that particular moment.

We swirled past Amy and Peter in a blur, still laughing. I saw Amy look at Ed and I for a long time, and then turn to Peter and whisper something in his ear. He, worryingly enough, also looked at us, and then a grin spread slowly across his face. I was now seriously worried about the dastardly plan that seemed to be hatching. I watched apprehensively as Peter and Amy left the floor and went over to where the musicians were playing. Still dancing, I craned to see as Amy whispered something to one of the musicians, who _also_ looked at Ed and I, then laughed. Oh, Aslan help us.

"Ed, I think we should have a rest now."

Even as I was saying it I could hear the music change, very subtly, to become softer and slower. This did not bode well for my sanity.

"We can't." He looked surprised and slightly hurt. "It's an insult in Narnia to leave the dance floor in the middle of a song."

"An insult to who?"

"To the musicians."

I eyes the smirking fauns ad scowled. "Perhaps I wouldn't mind that."

By now, the music had completed its change so it was unmistakeably a slow dance. Ed shifted so that both of his hands were one my waist, and I shot my cousin a death glare cross the ballroom. Making Ed and I slow dance, of all the low life-

"Don't watch your feet."

"What?"

Ed was smiling "It's easier if you look at your partner – you're more likely to stay balanced."

"Me? Balanced?"

But I did as he said and felt myself adjusting reluctantly to the new pace. I was staring, I realised to my amusement, at Ed's freckled nose. I raised my eyes to look into his and realised immediately the mistake. My cheeks coloured, my throat went dry and suddenly I had two left feet again. At that moment I wanted nothing more than to run and hide, but I forced myself to wait out the next few endless minutes, staring stubbornly over Ed's head and trying to force my heartbeat to return to a normal speed.

The dance finished and, as was custom, I curtsied to Ed. Then I fled. I left through two doors which opened onto a patio. It was dark, and I knew I was going the wrong way, but I couldn't bring myself to care. I was trying desperately to deny what I'd felt, dancing in Ed's arms. It couldn't be- could it? Oh, I didn't know!

"Kessie?"

Ed! I jumped and spun to face him guiltily. "Um... yes?"

"Are you okay? You left kind of quickly."

"Yeah, um... I'm fine. Just needed a bit of air."

"Oh. Alright."

He was hurt again, and my feeling of guilt increased. Why did he have to have such big, dark eyes? I had, I realised with shame, just left him in the middle of the dance floor with no excuse or explanation.

"I'm coming back in now." Drat. Drat. Drat.

"Okay."

He smiled, apparently appeased, and I followed him reluctantly back into the ball room, suppressing a groan. And I say again: stupid hormones.

**_Yey! A happy chapter. Gees, needed it after those last two. :D So... Amy's alive! And getting married! And Kes is... well, basically, very confused. _**

**_R&R?_**

**_-Kes_**


	12. Murphy's Law

**_Yes! Another update! I love this chapter. :D_**

**_Disclaimer: If I owned Narnia, they would so have Easter._**

**Chapter 13: **_**Murphy's Law**_

Narnia became more of a home to me than mine had ever been. I got to know most of the people in the castle pretty quickly, especially Caspian's professor, who was doubling as a librarian. (I had had a fascination with old libraries since the age of five, when I'd decided I wanted to go to Oxford University for the sole reason that they had a huge, absolutely ancient library.) The day after the ball my cousin dragged me down a corridor, saying she had a surprise for me. I still wasn't impressed about last night's stunt, but she seemed to be trying to make up for it, so I went along with it. We walked through a door to find a smiling Peter, an unimpressed looking Ed and something which looked suspiciously like a gramophone.

"Oh no," I backed away "No way."

"I told them." Added Ed helpfully.

"What?" Peter blinked innocently "Amy thought it would be a good idea for us all to learn a few Narnian dances."

Yes, Amy, of course. Shooting a death glare at my cousin, I turned to make a run for it and smacked straight into Caspian, Susan and a beaming Lucy, who informed me delightedly that she'd come to watch the six of us (apparently Caspian and Susan would be joining us) and pushed me into the room, closing the doors behind her. Wonderful.

I won't even bother telling you who I got partnered with, seen as I'm sure you're familiar enough with the devious workings of Amy's mind to guess. I hadn't known that there were actually any gramophones in Narnia, but Lucy babbled out a grabled version of the fact that she and Susan had set about making one last time they were here. Caspian's professor had managed to acquire one some years back, which he had proudly dug out for the occasion.

It was tedious at first, the dancing lesson, but soo I reluctantly began to enjoy myself. I really did love to dance, despite my two left feet, I enjoyed being with Ed (not that I'd ever admit it) and, seeing my face the night before, Amy had decided to play it safe and stick to relatively fast-paced songs. Unfortunately, this didn't help my balance, and Ed's feet suffered terribly. After awhile we decided to finish for the day, Lucy being satisfied that we'd learnt enough dances and Amy being satisfied that Ed and I had been appropriately pushed together.

We all left the hall in surprisingly good spirits, considering the fact that two of us had been forced into it, and I decided I was hungry. Quietly, I left the others to their chatter and skipped – yes, skipped – down to the kitchens to grap a bread roll. Having succeeded in my quest for food, I then wandered out into the castle grounds and flopped down beside a courtyard in the mid-afternoon sunshine. It was at times like this that I most missed the freedom of clothing one had in England – how I longed for a pair of shorts or a T-shirt. My poor converses had, at Susan's insistance, been locked away in some random and far away place, the location of which only she knew.

I looked absentlyout onto the countryard and noticed that Amy was stood there. She was looking at something to her right, and hadn't noticed me sat in the shadows. I stood to greet her, but then Peter came loping into the courtyard. I should, I suppose, have guessed that he was what she was looking at so happily. I left hurriedly, not wanting to eavesdrop (again) but a few sentences floated to me on the breeze.

"I'm so happy here." That was Amy.

"I know, I can't believe my luck – not only have I come back to Narnia, but I found you!"

"Oh, shut up."

They were laughing when I turned the corner.

A few days later, I decided it would likely be a good idea to ask someone about the lack of shampoo – washing your hair with water is alright for about three days, but it gets old very quickly: I missed my Herbal Essences. It was Susan I happened across first.

"Su, do you ever miss shampoo?"

"Oh," she laughed "All the time!"

"Well... couldn't we make it? Y'know, like you made the gramophone."

"I suppose we could..." she considered it for a moment. "Yes, I don't see why not. We could ask Lu and Amy to help us – I'm sure they're feeling the loss as keenly as we are."  
And so it was that I found myself, an hour later, standing in the extensive kitchens, elbow deep in a queer mixture of water and plant extracts, watching Su and Amy test the latest batch on poor Lucy, who had been nominated as the lab rat. Needless to say, she wasn't impressed.

"Ow! Susan – you're hurting me!"

"Hold still."

"Amy!"

"Ouch!"

"What on earth is going on here?!"

This last comment came from behind me, and I turned to the door to see an apprehensive looking Ed, who was watching the proceedings with an expression which said very clearly: should I be scared?

"Ed!" I pulled my arms out of the water, ran over to him and dragged him into the room. "Brilliant, you can help us."

"Ohhhh, no. I'm not gonna be a test subject – no way."

I rolled my eyes. "I didn't mean _that_, I wanted you to stir the mixture. Although, now you mention it, that's not such a bad idea..."

"What am I stirring?" He asked quickly, and I laughed, secure in the knowledge that he would do whatever I said, so long as it didn't involve being the guinea pig.

In the end, we did succeed in making an almost passable shampoo, me having had the brilliant idea of adding soap. There was, however, one unfortunate incident when we amazingly succeeded in making pink hair dye: somewhere there was a poor faun wandering around with glorious fuschia curls.

A few days later, Caspian came into the hall and announced brightly that it was Easter tomorrow. I hadn't known they had it in Narnia, but apparently so. I tried, rather unsuccesfully, to remember any mention of Narnian Easter traditions. After a few minutes of deep and fruitless thought, I decided to enroll my cousin's help in the carrying out of some of our own more interesting Easter traditions. Namely egg hiding. The next morning we put our devious plan into action.

"Hey! What the- oh! Ugh, oh that _stinks_! Ugh!"

Ed came running down the stairs into the breakfast hall, several rather squashed bioled eggs in his hand – he had, very amusingly, sat on them, and boy did they smell. Amy and I cracked up – can you blame us? – but this was a bad idea, because Ed saw us, and a terrible realisation spread across his face.

"You!"

Uh oh. "Run!"

We did, turning just in time for me to get bioled egg splattered all over the back of my lovely pale peach dress. Oh... he didn't... I turned slowly to face him.

"You did _not_ just do what I think you did."

My answer was a face full of egg. Right. That settled it. This meant war, and he was going down. To my left was, rather conveniently, a jug full of water. A minute later, the jug was empty, and the contents were on Ed. Unfortunately, he still had eggs left. Run away! Amy was ahead of me as I skidded round the corner and out of the hall, dodging bits of boiled egg all the way. I could hear Ed squealching down the corridor behind me, and increased my speed. Suddenly, a figure appeared at the other end of the corridor, and I could smell him from here: it was Peter, and he had _lain_ on his eggs (they'd been on his bed) and was now completely covered from head to foot. But he also had some in his hand. This time it was Amy's turn to receive an egg pelting. Around 20 minutes later, a dripping, smelly Ed, and the egg covered Amy, Peter and I walked back through the hall, attracting extremely odd looks. We decided it might be a good idea to get cleaned up.

Once, I found myself in the unfortunate circumstance of being alone with Peter. A few minutes of awkward silence passed, and then Peter cleared his throat.

"So... Ed told me that Amy and you are cousins."

"Oh, uh... yeah." How interesting.

"I suppose I owe you an apology."

"Oh,"

"Yeah... for jumping to conclusions, and, um... overreacting."

"Oh, um... thanks."

Awkward much? Still, at least he'd apologised. We were never going to be bffs or anything, but we could live with it. All good. (Plus, he was marrying my cousin, so I couldn't exactly hate him forever, could I?)

I had kind of lost track of the days and, had you asked me the date, I probably would have replied "What's a date?" Although we'd only been there for around a month, Narnia was so ingrained into Amy and I that we found ourselves forgetting bits of our old lives: computers, TVs, all disappeared into oblivion pretty fast. One thing however, I did remember, and it'd been bothering me. Back in England my friend always used to tease me about the fact that I couldn't make daisy chains and, with the recent bloom of flowers in Narnia, I'd been brooding over it. I knew it was petty, but I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it: if I could wave a sword around and yell "For Narnia!" impressively, then surely I could make a silly little daisy chain.

This sentiment was, as it turns out, easier said that done. After 20 minutes of attempting to tie flowers in knots I threw the wretched things down in disgust. Okay, I was a failure – see if I cared. Someone sat down next to me.

"What are you doing?" It was Ed.

"I'm failing."

"Oh yeah?" He smirked. "What is it this time?"

"Daisy chains." I mumbled.

"What? Too mighty for you?" He teased. "Telmarines – piece of cake, but a _daisy chain_!"

"Oh, shut up." I threw a daisy at him, and he picked it up with a grin.

"Don't you want me to help you?"

"_You're_ going to help me?"

"Yeah, here."

He picked another daisy and pierced a hole in it with his finger nail. Then he slid the end of the other daisy throught the hole. My mouth dropped open.

"You're kidding! That's how you do it? You don't tie knots?!"

"No!" He laughed.

"Oh..." So that's why I couldn't make them...

He went on expertly threading the daisy chain in silence for a few minutes, and then held it up against my wrist and nodded.

"This should be big enough." He slipped it around my wrist and pushed the last daisy into place.

"There."

I admired my new bracelet with a wide smile. "Thanks."

"No problem."

We sat there until the sun sank behind the castle walls.

A few weeks later, Amy and I had the brilliant idea of writing up our story into a book. So, with the help of various people and my memory of the film (as well as our own memories of the events we'd witnessed, like the battle) we began very slowly to write it down. It was good fun, sifting through our memories with varying joy, amusement or annoyance – annoyance being mainly me about stuff that Ed had done – and it took up several hours of our days.

Unfortunately, Amy and Peter didn't quite seem to have given up on their matchmaking plan: at every possible moment they would find some way of leaving Ed and I alone somewhere, or making us dance, or whatever. Personally, I didn't care. It wasn't overly annoying, and I mainly ignored it. Plus, it meant I got to hang around with Ed more. Still, I didn't think anything more of it until a few days before... well, before _that_.

I was walking along, daisy chain still hanging on my wrist, whistling (badly) the chorus of a Narnian jig I'd heard the day before, when I heard Ed's vocie coming from the library. Brilliant – I'd been looking for him. Amy had sent me to check some facts with him about the battle for our book, and today he'd rpoved surprisingly easy to find. I went to open the door, but something in the tone of his voice stopped me in my tracks. A little guiltily, okay, very guiltily – I seemed to be doing a lot of listening outside doors at the moment – I stopped and waited.

"... mean seriously Pete, it'snot funny."

"Ed, I don't–"

"No Peter, you have to listen, alright? These are our lives you're messing with here. Why can't you just leave it alone?!"

Despite myself, I was interested, so I stayed.

"We're just trying to help."

"Well, I don't want your help, okay? It's not gonna happen, so _stop pushing Kessie and I together_!"

Oh. _Oh_. Oh, oh, oh. I stared blankly at the door. "It's not gonna happen" – that hurt more than it should have done. I'd known he didn't have feelings for me, but to hear it spelt out so very emphatically... ouch. It was then that I registered the footsteps from within. I barely had time to take a step back before the door was flung open to reveal a very annoyed looking Ed. He froze when he saw me.

"Kes!"

I legged it.

**_Oh no! :(_**

**_R&R?_**

**_- Kes_**


	13. Repurcussions and repentance

**Ah, the end is nigh... Short chapter, btw.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia, I've never even been there. **

**Chapter 14: **_**Repurcussions and repentance**_

I spent the next few days avoiding Ed, and then it was too late. One morning, a wide eyed Caspian came running into the breakfast hall, dressed in what looked ridiculously like a pair of curtains.

"Aslan has called a meeting for all the Telmarines and the Narnians!"

We all followed him out of the hall, and it was only then that I noticed what the Pevensies were wearing. Oh God. I knew those clothes. Susan's lovely blue dress seemed somehow terrifying, Ed's black shirt made me want to cry, and Lucy's plaits... It had, I suppose, to end sometime, but not then. Why then? The others chatted their way to the courtyard happily, Amy blissful in her amnesia, but I walked as one on death row. A few minutes later I was stood on a platform, staring straight at the door in the air.

"What do you think Aslan wants?" Amy asked brightly. I couldn't bring myself to answer her.

I didn't hear a word of either Caspian or Aslan's speech, my attentions were fixed on the tree that was to shatter my world. Would the Pevensies go back alone, or would Aym and I have to go too? It took all my restraint not to run away or cry, or both. Aslan opened the door and I clenched my fists by my sides, willing myself to get through this: I would, I could. The first 3 Telmarines from the film went through, there was an angry buxx from thhe crowd, and then it was time.

"We'll go." Peter said quietly, trying to avoid Amy's eyes.

"What?! No!" She ran over to him, speaking urgently but quietly, so that I didn't hear.

I looked at them for a long time, then around me at the place I'd loved since I was 8 years old, and then at the door in the air. I looked at Ed, and then at Aslan, remembering his warning. Finally, I looked at Amy. Then, I stepped forward.

"No. I'll go."

"WHAT?!" Amy looked at me like I was crazy. "You can't go!"

"Yes I can. I can and I will."

"No way! I'm not going to let you!"

"Yes you are." I felt surprisingly calm, which was odd.

"No I'm _not_!"

She went to grab hold of me as I stepped away, and Peter wrapped his arms round her waist, a silent but heartfelt thanks in his eyes.

"Amy, you have a life here. You've got Peter, you're going to get _married_. I can't just let you walk away from it."

"No! You're not going to leave Narnia for me, Kerry! Come _back_!"

She struggled against fiercely against Peter's hold, but to no avail. I could already see the faint outlines of bruises appearing on his arms, but there was no way he was going to let her go. Ignoring her continued yelling ("You get your arse over here, there is no way...") I turned to Aslan.

"This is what you meant, isn't it, about sacrifices?"

"That is for you to decide, dear one."

I nodded. ""I'll go."

"NO!" My cousin was still struggling wildly with Peter, trying desperately tp get to me, and I turned back to face them all.

"Bye." Wow – understatement of the century.

"YOU CAN'T LEAVE!"

"Hey," One Telmarine spoke up. "She's not one of the kings and queens, how do we know she's not a decoy?"

"Because I'm going, too."

"What?" I spun around to see Ed looking determined.

"I'll go with you."

"No, Ed – you belong here."

He shook his head. "I need to do this... for Peter."

"Ed, you can't–"

"No, Peter. I never forgave myself for the whole White Witch thing: you saved my life then, it's time for me to return the favour."  
Peter stared at his brother for a very long time, and then nodded, pulling a sobbing, struggling Amy closer. Susan and Lucy ran to Ed and hugged him tightly.

"Oh, Ed! Why you?"

"You'll understand some dya, Lu."

"Will they ever come back?" This was directed at Aslan, who looked sad.

"If they want to, then they will."

"Then we definitely will." Ed assured his sisters.

Aslan chuckled. "I'm afraid it's not that simple."

I rolled my eyes. "When is it ever?"

Ed came to stand beside me, disentangling himself from his sisters, and I dragged my eyes away from my distraught cosuin.

"Why are you doing this?" I whispered.

"You heard."

"Yeah, but there's more to it than that."

"Maybe there is." We began to walk towards the door in the air. "At least we'll be together." He continued. "It'll be alright, you'll see."

I looked at him and smiled weakly, wiping the tears from my cheeks. I turned back to take one last look at Narnia, at my home, at Aslan, at Amy, and then Ed took my hand and together we stepped through the door in the air.

_**AGH! Noooooooooo. Meh, don't like this chapter. :(**_

**_R&R?_**

**_- Kes_**


	14. The land of lost content

_**Oh no! I left Narnia! Shmurf... **_

**_Disclaimer: Why would I bother writing this if I could live it?_**

_**Chapter 15**_**: The land of lost content**

The next time I saw Edmund Pevensie, he was dead.

We stepped through the door in the air, and for a split second there was nothing: just white, and that was when I tripped. Over what, I don't know, nothing apparently, but that was all it took. Ed's hand was torn away from mine and I fell to my knees... in the middle of my uncle's library. Alone.

I stood up and looked around, my gaze falling on an open book on the table. The beach which was now so very familiar to me was still and lifeless. No moving waves, no running figures. No Ed, no Amy. That's when I dropped onto the threadbare carpet and cried. My stupid, _stupid_ clumsiness had taken me away from Ed. My cousin was in Narnia, Ed was god knows where, and I... I was alone.

By the time my aunt and uncle returned I had calmed down and washed all traces of tears off my face. But when I asked after Amy and their faces went blank I knew I needed to leave. It wasn't very far to my house, so I walked, but as soon as I got ther I began searching frantically through ym photo albums for a single picture of my cousin: there were none. Here was my 15th Birthday: no Amy, out trip to Cornwall: no Amy, even Christmas day at her house: no Amy. It was as if she'd never existed, only I remembered her.

At first I was absolutely, undoubtedly certain of my Narnian memories but, as the days turned into weeks, I began to wonder if I'd been dreaming after all. It did seem farfetched. So, I settled down and did some hardcore research on Narnia. It began, gradually, to make sense. C.S. Lewis, I pieced together from my research, was a direct descendant of the Telmarines who'd left Narnia for our world. They had arrvied several hundreds of years ago, and passed down their stories from generation to generation. Had Ed, I began to wonder, turned up in the 40s?

It was as I was reading about C.S. Lewis that I came across a reference which surprised me. In fact, it made me fall out of my chair. It read thus: "_This particular scene is described by Lewis as being symbolic of Genesis, and the temptation to eat the apple as Eve does. It relates back to Edmund's betrayal and, when he has to rescue Kerry from the apple tree, it shows his complete immunity to temptation and turn-about of character..." _It went on to describe various events from my life in Narnia and what C.S. Lewis had to say about them, but my mind was on other things. I rose and crossed the room quickly, pulling out my well-thumbed copy of 'The Complete Chronicles of Narnia' and turned anxiously to 'Prince Caspian'

There in the middle of the page was a painting, washed in wistful watercolours, of four people. Not, as I had expected, of the four Pevensies. A dark haired boy holding a torch: Ed, a taller blonde: Peter, and two girls who were most definitely not Lucy and Susan.

I stared at one of them. Shoulder length orange hair tied in bunches, freckles and a pair of outlandish looking shoes which bore just the slightest resemblance to my converses. It was me. I scanned the text underneath and quickly found what I was looking for: _'"What are you wearing?" Edmund asked the newcomer, wrinkling his nose in distaste. Kerry, for that was her name, thought him very rude.' _

I closed the book silently and stood up. Was I mad? There had never been a Kerry in Narnia, nor an Amy. I grabbed my Prince Caspian DVD off my desk and flipped it over. The back text further confirmed what I'd read: we had been in Narnia, which meant that Ed was real! On a whim, I shoved the DVD into my player and hit the play button. I only lasted 10 minutes. Skandar Keynes seemed... oddly distorted and out of focus, like I waslooking at him through those joke glasses you get sometimes. As for the actors who played Amy and I... don't even ask. Amy's wasn't nearly pretty enough, and mine didn't even have the right accent – I am _not_ from Somerset, thank you very much.

I took the DVD out and sat very still for several minutes. Then, I came to a decision: I was going to find Ed. I knew he existed, this twisted version of Narnia proved it, but where and when exactly he was was rather a more pressing issure.

It took me a year and a half. That sounds a ridiculously time, but I couldn't use the internet because... well, you type in Edmund Pevensie and see what it comes up with. I didn't want the Edmund Pevensie in the Narnia books, I wanted the real Edmund Pevensie. I moved onto books. As an excuse to go digging through birth records from 80 years ago, I told my parents I was making our family tree. They, unfortunately, wanted to help, but I thankfully managed to convince them that this was something I needed to do on my own.

2 birthdays and 3 sets of exams later, I began to give up. Perhaps I ought to accept it, living here, perhaps I ought to try and move on. That was when a name caught my eye. Edmund Pevensie, birth date 10/09/24. It couldn't be... t couldn't be. There was a tiny photo in black and white next to his name, allegedly taken from his passport: it was him. I couldn't believe it: it was really him! I'd found him after all this time!

My joy was such, that it wasn't until several moments later that I noticed the 3 final words, hastily printed in fresh ink on the right: 'date of death'. What...? Date of– No! He couldn't be dead! Ed... Ed couldn't be dead... he couldn't, he just couldn't! The date leaped out at me then: 20/02/11. 2 days ago. I hated myself then. If I'd have got my act together just a few days earlier, he would've still been alive and, and... and what? What would I have done, have said?

A scribbled note fluttered out of one of the pages and landed in my lap. 'Were you a friend of the late Mr. Pevensie?' the black ink asked me 'Please attend his funeral on February 24th, 2011.' An address in London was provided. It took me a split second to decide. The next day, I told my parents I was staying with a friend for the night, and then bought a train ticket for Picadilly. I was there by midnight. I stayed the night in a dingy youth hostel, waking early the next morning so as not to be late.

And so it was that 8am on February 24th, 2011 found me hurrying through the late winter streets, wrapped tightly in a black coat: tattered converses stuffed on my feet. In my back pocket was an old copy of 'A Shropshire Lad', the daisy chain Ed had made me marking my favourite page.

I reached the church at 8.55am and slid into a pew at the back. The greyish light filtered in through solemn, stained glass windows and my gaze fell on at coffin at the head of the church. I looked away quickly: somehow I just couldn't picture lively, cheeky Ed locked old and grey in that box. The minister entered and began to intone the ancient words, and I allowed them to wash over my head, scanning the occupants of the church for someone I knew: no one. I felt very alone.

Afterwards, the coffin was lowered into the ground, and I was wiping the tears from my face when an old lady came over to me.

"Did you know him, dear?"

I nodded.

"Oh, for a long time?"

I managed a sad smile. "It felt like it."

"Yes, Edmund was a very special person." I flinched at the use of past tense, as she continued "It's just – I don't recognise you."

"No... no, you wouldn't. It was... a different time." I could think of no better way to describe it. She was turning to go when I blurted suddenly "I don't mean to be rude, but who are you?"

A sad smile tugged at her mouth "I'm his wife, dear."  
She left.

Oh God. His wife. I hadn't known how much that would hurt until she'd said it – of course he'd had a wife, he'd been in his late 80s, did I really expect him to spend his whole life waiting to go back to Narnia? Was I going to? Still, it hurt to think of him living out his life in England: a job, a wife, kids? I stopped that trail of thought right away, wondering why it was causing me so much pain: it wasn't like we'd been together or anything. Even as I was thinking this there was something whispering in the back of my mind that I _knew_ why it hurt, I knew all too well.

Shaking my head to clear it, I walked over to his newly covered grave in silence. 10 minutes passed, 20, 30 and eventually I was the only one left. Tears falling freely now, I dropped to the grass and touched the raw earth.

"Why did you have to die? WHY?!" Nothing answered. "I need you!" Around me, rain began to fall and I dropped my head in defeat. "I...I think I... love you."

Above my head a spark of lightning ripped the sky in 2, and a roll of thunder sent a magnificent roar shuddering across the graveyard. I remember thinking it sounded like Aslan. Then it stopped raining.

**_Oooh, cliffy again. :D_**

**_R&R?_**

**_- Kes_**


	15. Love's labour's won

_**Sooo, because the last couple were so depressing, here's a relatively happy one. :D**_

**_Disclaimer: If I owned Narnia this would have happened by now. _**

_**Chapter 14**_**: Love's Labour's Won**

Blinking in the sudden sunshine, I lifted my head and looked around. I was still in the graveyard, but it looked... different, newer perhaps, and when I glanced down I found to my utmost shock that Ed's fresh grave had disappeared.

Quickly, not daring to hope, I climbed to my feet and turned to face the entrance of the graveyard. Uniform clad soldiers were strolling in the sun, laughing and joking with the curly haired girls on their arms. Across the street there was an old fashioned newspaper stand. Hesitantly, uncertainly, thrown by my sudden change in surroundings, I left the graveyard and crossed the road to stop in front of it. I picked up a newspaper and looked at the date: February 1942. Could it really be? I glanced up and caught my reflection in the window of a bookshop – I was very white. Behind my reflection I could see a young soldier looking through a book. I squinted and saw that it was A.E. Housman's 'A Shropshire Lad'. Smiling at the irony, I decided A.E. Housman must be the recurring theme in my life. Along with clumsiness of course. a Absently, I stared at the soldier, trying to think my situation through.

He had his head down, but suddenly he lifted it, as though sensing my distracted gaze, and locked eyes with me. I froze. He dropped the book. A gruff voice next to me woke me out of my shock.

"Are you gonna pay for that?"

I looked at the newspaper in my hands, dropped it and ran into the bookshop. Only I never got there. I was met in the doorway by the soldier. He was taller, older looking and physically fitter, but there was absolutely no doubt about it.

"Kessie?" I smiled, and then I was in his arms, laughing and crying at the same time.

"Ed, oh Ed, it's really you!"

He pulled back to look at me, joining in my surprised laughter and swinging me around like a rag doll. Then he noticed the tears on my cheeks.

"Hey, what's the matter?"

"Nothing." I laughed, wiping the stupid tears away "Absolutely nothing."

We decided to find somewhere more convenient to talk things through. I was tired, hungry and confused, and there was a thought lurking dangerously near the surface of my mind which told me Ed was dressed as a soldier, and it was 1942. Stubbornly, I pushed it away, not wanting to consider the implications. As we strolled down the main street a grin touched Ed's face suddenly.

"What are you wearing?"

I laughed and swatted him gently, remembering with a bitter sweet feeling the first words he'd ever said to me. Things had been so much simpler then. When I didn't answer his question, unaware that it was actually genuine, he repeated it.

"Honestly, though, why so much black? Where were you, a funeral or something?"

My step faltered. Images of his coffin, his grace, his wife, flooded my head – the life he had yet to live, of which I was not a part. Something in my face must have clued him in.

"Wait – you were actually at a funeral? Oh...sorry."  
I said nothing, so he continued in a lighter tone "Anyone I know?"

I bit my lip hard, and he blinked.

"Wait, it _was_ someone I know? Who?!"

I couldn't say it. I couldn't bring myself to say it. I couldn't. I avoided his eyes, but he stopped, turning me to face him and taking my hands in both of his.

"Kessie, whose funeral was it?"

His tone was gentle yet pressing, and I knew I couldn't avoid it any longer.

"I met your wife." I said softly "She seemed very nice."

His face lost 3 shades of colour as he realised what I was really telling him. His looked very shaken, which was unsurprising really, so I led him over to a bench.

"I'm... I was..." he gave up on that train of though and switched "When?"

This was like something out of Back To The Future for God's sake. Next thing I knew, my hand would start to disappear. I shook my head at him.

"I don't think it's a good idea for me to tell you." He went to argue, but I cut him off quickly. "What's with the uniform?"

"I joined up last month. I'm old enough now."

Something in me began to panic. "But – this is World War 2."

He nodded "I leave for France tomorrow."

The panic took over. "Tomorrow?! But– But– I just got here! You can't leave! And – wait, it's 1942! France! NO! You can't go to France, you'll die! Ed, please don't go to France, please!"

He stared at me "I have to go."

"But–" I could feel the tears brimming. "I lost you once, and now just as I've found you again you have to leave."

"Hey," he took my hand gently "It'll be alright, I'll be back before you know it – everyone's saying all we need is one final push and then the war'll be over."

That lie, that horrible government lie which had sent millions of young boys innocently to their deaths, did it.

"And where am I gonna live Ed? How am I gonna live? I, in all apparency, do not exist – I have no name, no date of birth, no family. Hell, my grandmother's only about 7 right now, and my parents won't be born for another 20 years! What am I supposed to do, huh? Go to an orphanage, sit there and wait for a telegram telling me you got blown up at Dunkirk, shot down at Flanders, burnt to death at Calais?! Because I can't do that Ed, I just can't. You... you don't know what it would do to me if you died."

He had looked shocked throughout my lengthy outburst, but now he reached out and hugged me tightly. Gratefully, I took sanctuary in his arms.

"Come one," He said quietly. "Let's go."

We left. I didn't think about where we were going until he opened the gate of a house and directed me into the back garden, where we both flopped down on the grass and looked at the empty looking house in front of us.

"Where's your mum?" I wondered out loud, remembering the worried looking woman from the books.

"She works in an ammunitions factory during the day"

"Oh." An awkward silence stretched between us until he reached out and took my hand.

"I missed you."

"I missed you more."

He laughed. "Now _that's_ not possible."

Another silence, and then I said quietly "I wonder if they're looking for me in the future. I suppose not though, I guess they'll just forget about me like they did Amy."

He nodded. "How much time do you reckon has passed in Narnia?"

"Well," I tried to keep my tone light, but failed. "If you were away for a year, and over 1,000 years had passed, then I suppose it must be at least 2,500 years." My voice broke on the last bit, and he squeezed my hand. "They're all gone." I continued "All of them: Caspian, Susan, Lucy, Peter... Amy."

"I know." He blinked away tears "But at least we're together now."

"But you're going! You're leaving me for France, and even if you do come back you go off and marry someone else and then I don't know you anymore because if I did my older self would have been at the funeral and–"

I was cut off by his lips pressing gently against mine. He pulled back seconds later, and I stared at him, trying to make my brain work again. He'd kissed me! Ed had kissed me! Oh my God. I forced my brain's retardedness aside and looked at him.

"What... what...?"

Okay, so brain spasm not so forced aside, but whatever. Stringing coherent sentences together is more difficult than it looks. Ed shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry if that was inappropriate."

I blinked "No! No – it wasn't. I'm just... surprised."

"Don't be – I've wanted to do that ever since you got stuck in that ridiculous apple tree."

Well, _that_ was a surprise. "Really? I thought I annoyed the hell out of you."

"You did, sometimes, but I am apparently not in control of my feelings."

I was confused "But what about what you said to Peter, about it never happening?"

"Oh," he blushed "Well I figured that you didn't... I mean... oh, never mind."

Suddenly I realised what he was struggling with. "Oh! You thought I didn't like you! Ed... I do."

He looked up then, and the hope in his eyes made me want to kiss him... again... "Really?"

I nodded, and he leapt to his feet, pulling me up too and swung me around (for the second time that day) laughing at the top of his voice. I was slightly dizzy when he put me down, but forgot that as soon as I saw the intensity in his eyes.

"I'll come back." He promised, arms tightening around my waist.

"I know you will." I lied. "I know you will, Ed."

He must have seen my doubts, because he pulled me closer still, burying his face in my hair. I pressed mine into his shoulder, trying o ignore the sinking feeling that this was our goodbye, and wished desperately that we could just go home.

**_Ooooooooh, nearly the end! Two chapters left. :D Btw, sorry about the confusing change in chapter numbers: don't worry, I haven't missed any out, I just labelled them wrong. :)_**

**_R&R?_**

**_- Kes_**


	16. This is home

_**Last proper chapter! Epilogue after this, and then that's it. :(**_

**_Disclaimer: For the... * counts *... 15th time I DO NOT OWN NARNIA! _**

_**Chapter 15: **_**This is home**

I lifted my head from his shoulder slowly, and let out a cry of utter shock. Where the dull, white fence bordering Ed's back garden had been was now a forest. I pulled away from Ed and together we looked around. And then we were laughing like we'd never done before.

"We're home!" I yelled at the top of my voice, and then began to run through the trees, Ed right behind me. We ran for a few minutes, maybe a little more. I didn't know what direction I was going in, I was just running for the sheer joy of it. After a bit, however, the forest began to thin, and we were met with the most wonderful sight imaginable. There before us, shining and glorious in the sunlight, fully restored and magnificent as before. I stared at the white stone walls, the familiarity achingly potent.

"Ed! Look!"

He stopped, overwhelmed, but I couldn't wait for him: I had to know. Were they still alive? Was she still alive? Terrified and elated at the same time, I ran through the front doors of Cair Paravel, right into Lucy.

"Lucy!"

She was the same, at most a few years older, but I had no time to consider this as she had thrown her arms around me and was yelling "Kessie! Kessie!" so loud I thought my ear drums would burst. When she finally pulled back I saw Susan and Caspian come running in through some door at the back of the room.

"Kes!" Susan ran towards me "Is Ed with you?"

"Uh, Ed-" It was at that moment I noticed the bundle in Susan's arms "Susan! That's a baby!"

"Oh yes," She looked down at the lovely thing "It's–"

"Caspian's, right?" I grinned, turning to face the handsome king who, to my surprise, held up his hands in front of him, shaking his head.

"Uh, no. It is–"

He was cut off by the entrance of Peter. "Su, do you still have William or–" He stopped when he saw me. "Kes!"

"Is Amy...?"

I stopped as my cousin entered, her back to me, and went over to Susan, taking the baby from her. I couldn't speak, just watched.

"Thanks, Su." She turned and saw me. "Kerry... Kes. Oh my god!"

And then I was hugging tightly the cousin I'd missed for 2 years.

"You have a baby?!"

"Yeah! We got married! How did you get here?!"

"Well, I was at Ed's funeral, and I was crying, and then–"

I stopped as Lucy shouted "Ed's dead?!"

Susan, looking equally heartbroken, hugged her, and I realised what I'd said.

"Oh! Nonononononono, wait, I–" I, once again, didn't get a chance to finish, because Ed came running in.

"Ed!"

He was immediately surrounded by his family, leaving me, Amy and Caspian watching in amusement. When he had finally disentangled himself he came over to me and silently took my hand. This caused several exchanged looks, which we ignored, as Ed began to tell our story. He described how we'd ended up in seperate times, and I picked up the story with my description of the new version of Narnia, which Amy thought exceptionally cool. Then we both described our reunion, leaving out certain details, with me finishing "And then we ended up here."

Several hours later, after we had changed into Narnian clothes and I had held little newborn William Edmund for a sufficient amount of time, I found myself alone on a balcony. I stood there in silence for a long time, trying to comprehend the fact that I was actually here. A soft voice made me jump.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," I answered Ed equally quietly. "But... do you suppose the future's changed now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I went to your funeral, but you're not there anymore, so..."

"I guess there won't be a funeral then."

"But if there hadn't been a funeral, then I never would have gone back to the 40s, so then you would have grown old and then there would have been a funeral." I confused myself.

"Yeah..." He looked confused too. "I was wondering, how did you manage to get back to the 40s in the first place?"

"Oh," I went red. "I... was just... stood... thinking."

"Thinking what?"

"Nothing."

"Right..."

Distraction needed urgently. "They'll be telling stories about us one day."

"Yep," He smiled "The tale of King Edmund and High King Peter, who were defeated in an egg fight by two girls, and of Princess Amy, with whom one doesn't argue, and of Princess Kessie, who is a danger to herself and others."

I hit him gently. "Hey." Something else occurred to me. "And I'm not a princess, you fool. To be a princess I'd have to marry a king."

His smile was a mile wide as he took my hand firmly in his. "Exactly."

Somewhere a lion roared.

**_Cheese! Go cheese!_**

**_R&R?_**

**_- Kes_**


	17. Only the beginning of the adventure

_**Bye bye!**_

**_Disclaimer: (insert disclaimer here)_**

_**Epilogue: **_**Only the beginning of the adventure**

"Oh Mummy, that was a lovely story! Was it true?"

I smile down at my little 7 year old, Rosie, perched happily on Lucy's knee, and nod. "All of it."

"Wow." Rosie's triplets, George and Jasper, exchange wide eyed glances.

I swap a nostalgic smile with my cousin, who's watching her 8 year old daughter, Alice. Alice is playing stick fight with Peter and, by the way, kicking his ass. That's my niece! I look for Ed and find him, to my amusement, being pushed into the river by 10 year old William, who is going to be just like his father. Susan and Caspian are off taking a long walk, again: their 'secret' courtship is the delight of everyone in Narnia. It was, in fact, Lucy who surprised everyone by marrying a curly haired Telmarine named Francisco, whom the rest of us had only met a few times. Turns out he'd been courting her for 3 years. Jasper is wandering off, wide grey eyes searching for Francisco, who's building a fire on the river bank to cook the fish Pete and Ed are supposed to be catching. Rosie slides her thumb into her mouth and says round it "I luff you, Mummy."

"I luff you, too." I tell her "I luff you, too."

The sky is an unusually beautiful cerulean, and I am indescribably lucky to be alive. In front of me, little dark haired George, his love of literature showing through, has pulled out 'A Shropshire Lad' and waves it at me now.

"Listen Mummy, listen!" He begins to read.

"The world is round, so travellers tell,

And straight though reach the track

Trudge on, trude on, 'twill all be well,

The way will guide one back."

**_This sounds cheesy but I just want to thank all of my lovely reviewers for their fangirling and con-cris, lil-miss-harkness for her ridiculing and especially justplaincrazy8 for her wonderful reviews and encouragement, they've kept me going throughout the endless monotony of typing this up. :) So thank you very much! _**

**_R&R?_**

**_-Kes_**


	18. Sequel Alert

Hello lovely people who are bothering to read this,

This is, as it were, a sequel alert! My first one! How exciting. :o) I'm just letting you know that, in case you happen to be interested, I have begun a sequel, entitled "The Newlyweds, the Klutz and the Just." which takes place during the Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

I'm also gonna add a warning, though. Very unfortunately, I had some trouble with someone copying my "Fangirls, Sack and Mosenator." If I have the same problem with the sequel, I'm afraid I'll have to take both off of here. My cousin and I have discussed it and decided there's nothing else we can do. Hopefully she'll leave it alone but, if she's reading this (and she knows who she is) stay away from my sequel!!

Anyway, rant over now. Just a little note. Sequel's in both Kes' and Amy's POV, so watch out for the switch in the prologue. The rest of it should be pretty obvious, though, as it's in the format: Part 1 – Kes, Part 2 – Amy, Part 3 – Kes.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read this, and watch out for the sequel, which can be found on my profile.

Peace,

Kes.


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